StarCrossed
by Browny9
Summary: Star and her faithful pet Vulpix embark on their very own Pokemon adventure! Original story, characters & aspects from games & anime. (Revised edition, updated 1/19/13) *Read Author Page for Info*
1. Departure

StarCrossed [Revised Edition]

Departure, Chapter 1

My name is Star, and I'm an alcoholic.

Totally kidding! I'm not an alcoholic, after all, I'm only ten years old! My name is Star, by the way, and I am a fledgling Pokemon trainer. Like many kids in this wide world of mine, we pick up a cute little critter and hit the road, leaving all our worries and parents behind in the pursuit of adventure and friendship!

Well, that's what it would be like, if my own mom wasn't a complete control freak. Well, control freak is a bit extreme. She's a caring, kind person, and has if anything, spoiled me rotten. I get everything I could ever want or ask for, the only catch being she doesn't let me out of her sights for very long. She's no stranger to Pokemon either, which is probably why she let me have my very own Vulpix long before most kids get their own Pokemon.

Well, enough about me for now. My story begins on a bright, cheerful day, in the small town of Pallet. It was the beginning of summer, school was officially out for a few weeks, and this was the time many kids stopped schooling and hit the road. One of these many kids was a boy named Deneb, my neighbor. We were both the same age, and friends since as long as we both could remember. And since we could both remember, his dream had always been to be a Pokemon Trainer. Being the copycat I was, it became my dream, too.

For a year, I was ahead of Deneb by one whole critter. With Vulpix at my side, the only thing standing in my way was Mom, while poor Deneb had no Pokemon of his own. That would all change, however, that morning in Pallet. The local scientist, one Professor Oak, had a batch of new Pokemon, all eager to get out and explore the world. Pallet was a small town, but there were certainly more than three boys or girls out there, so the early bird got the Pokemon. Deneb was one of these early birds.

He showed me his pick, a little blue monster with a giant bud on its back. Bulbasaur was the little guy's name, and with that, Deneb could finally embark on his journey. He wasted no time, either, promptly setting out on Route 1 towards Viridian City. I watched from my front porch, waving at him as he became a speck on the road north.

But I wasn't about to just let him have all the fun! I ran back inside my house, running up to my room to fetch a few things. I stuffed a few spare dresses, my favorite brush, and most importantly, my Pokemon Encyclopedia, a gift from my uncle for my birthday last year. I threw my bag out my window, and ran downstairs. Mom was in the kitchen, making lunch rather early. Her back turned, I snatched up all the sandwiches I could, along with a few cookies from the cookie jar, and ran outside. I stuffed it all into my bag as quickly as I could, and ran back inside.

Surprised I had 'finished' lunch so quickly, Mom decided to make a run to the store now that I was fed. This is when a little lightbulb went off in my head. I offered to do the groceries for her, and she agreed without a hitch! I ran back upstairs to my room, nearly forgetting one crucial thing. I took out a sheet of paper, and grabbed a pencil from my school backpack.

Mom,

By the time you read this, I will already be far away. I know you would never let me leave on my own Pokemon adventure, so this was the only way I could. I promise I'll call as many times as I can, and I hope you won't be too mad at me. I'll catch up to Deneb and travel with him, to make you feel better about me going. I love you, Mom!

It wasn't much of a consolation, but at least she wouldn't go thinking I'd been kidnapped. I folded the paper in two, and wrote 'Mom' on the front. I put it on top of my bed, in plain view. I ran downstairs, where Mom was waiting with some money and a shopping list. She repeated a few times to not forget to keep the sliced bread on top of everything else, and then sent me on my way. Little did she know, I wasn't planning on coming back anytime soon.

Once outside, I strapped on my bag, and with Vulpix at my side, we started towards the town gate. Deneb had a bit of a head start on me, but our adventure was only just beginning!

~o~

The first major obstacle for me was a wild Pokemon. Yeah, may not seem like much, but this was also my very first battle, ever! I was walking along Route 1, the trees rustling in the wind, the grass lush and green. It was the perfect summer day. And much like we people like to get out and enjoy the weather, so did the Pokemon. A wild Rattata drew near!

I admit, I knew that wild Pokemon were dangerous. I knew this, yet I still walked over to the small rat and offered to pet it. The Pokemon just didn't seem to be particularly aggressive, but that all changed when it took a bite of my hand! I screamed in pain and fell down, kicking at the rat as I scurried back to Vulpix's side. Hearing my cry, Vulpix leapt between me and the Rattata.

I didn't know how to go about all this, so the best I could do was remind Vulpix to be careful. That wasn't much help, as the Rattata took a bite out of her too! She cried out, so I quickly shouted for Vulpix to shake free of the bite. Vulpix obeyed, and sent the Rattata flying back into the tall grass. That wasn't the end of it, though.

It came out again, only this time it was much angrier. But so was I! Getting a grip on the situation, I shouted another command to Vulpix.

"Attack!" I yelled.

Vulpix ran forward, butting heads with the Rattata, and sending it back a ways. When it got back up on its feet, the Rattata disappeared for a moment, and then out of no where rammed Vulpix on her side! I was getting scared, so I told Vulpix to attack one more time. The Rattata jumped on top of Vulpix, and took another bite out of her.

"Vulpix!" I cried, running to her with tears in my eyes.

The Rattata wasn't letting go, but that didn't stop me from helping. I took my bag and used it as my own weapon, smacking that Rattata hard enough to throw it off Vulpix. She was still standing, but I could tell she looked hurt and tired. The Rattata wasn't about to let us go, though. I knew Vulpix was a fire Pokemon, so it was time to actually fight back for real.

"Use fire!" I screamed.

Vulpix jumped at the Rattata, spinning around so that small embers shot at the rat. A few of them landed on the wild Pokemon, and it began to panic. Now seriously hurt, it ran back into the tall grass. We had survived our first wild Pokemon encounter, with only a few bumps and bruises to show for it.

Even though we were still pretty close to Pallet Town, we stopped right there on the road to have a snack. I let Vulpix have one of the sandwiches I took from home, and I had another. Aside from a few cookies I also packed, that was the last of the food. I really hadn't planned my departure well, so I had to make it to Viridian City before dark. Normally the road only took a few hours, but that was by car with Mom. Walking was sure to be a lot longer.

Once we were done eating, we continued on the road. Oh, and I forgot to mention: while we were eating, I heard the strangest noise. It sounded like a bunch of birds getting together in a single place. As we got up to keep moving, I saw a large group of them flying away, and they looked angry. What's worse, the beautiful day wasn't looking as nice anymore. There were dark clouds in the sky; it looked like it was going to rain.


	2. The Pokemon League

The Pokemon League, Chapter 2

I was beyond out of luck. The road north towards Viridian was still pretty long, and those rain clouds looked ready to pour. That same road was also in the open, so if it started to rain, Vulpix and I would be soaked. As if my bad luck wasn't enough, within seconds I felt a droplet land on my head. The next landed on my glasses. Without them, I was blinder than a Zubat, so instead of running ahead, I ran to the side.

The trees wouldn't keep me dry, but at least I could stay out of most of the rain. That same rain scared most of the other Pokemon into hiding, so at least I didn't have to worry about running into any more angry Rattatas. Vulpix was still tired from the fight, so I had to carry her along the way. I used the road next to me as a guide, make sure I was heading towards Viridian City.

That plan failed, though. Once it started raining hard, I couldn't even see where the road was, and I started moving through the trees on the side. I was more focused on staying dry than anything else, so my sense of direction kind of went out the window. After a little while of running, I got lucky and ran into a small area where the rain couldn't get through the trees much. I was still getting wet, but at least it was much less than before.

I let Vulpix go, her fur mostly dry. She stayed close, trying to use me as an umbrella. I took off my glasses, and tried to find a part of my dress that wasn't completely soaked. I ended up using a spare from my bag to dry them off, after a few seconds of digging around to find it. I honestly couldn't see a foot in front of me without them, it was all a big blur.

The rain continued strong forever. The trees above us began to let more and more rain through, so I picked Vulpix back up and started walking again. I was still lost on the side of the road, and I couldn't be sure I was heading towards Viridian City anymore. So, I just kept walking, Vulpix in my arms growling at the rain. Suddenly her ears shot up and looked to my right.

It was only for a moment, but I saw a giant flash in the sky through the trees. There was a huge lightning bolt all the way out there, like it hit a tree or something. The sound of the thunder made my heart skip a beat, so much so that I started running in the opposite direction. If more of those were going to fall, I didn't want to be hit by one.

~o~

A little while after the lightning hit, the rain stopped. I was happy, and so was Vulpix, but now I was lost in the trees. After that lightning bolt hit, I just ran in some random direction. Probably in a direction away from the main road. I placed Vulpix down on the ground, letting her walk for herself. The ground was wet and muddy, so I didn't like the idea of her walking all over it. Mom always made me give her a bath when it rained and I let her outside. It was never any fun.

It didn't take me long to find a road outside the trees. It looked like the same road on Route 1, but now there looked to be a lot more trees close by. I knew something strange was going on. Left or right was another problem. If I was on the left side of the road when it started to rain, that meant I had to turn left again to reach Viridian. I shared this with Vulpix, and she looked at me like I was crazy. Guess it wasn't such a smart idea to ask a Pokemon for directions.

I went with my first idea and turned left. The road was pretty hard to follow after a few minutes, the dirt getting covered more and more with grass. It was around that point that I started worrying about my decision. That is, until I ran into a familiar face. It was Deneb, of all people! I called out to him before he noticed me.

"Star? How did you find me?" He asked.

I quickly explained everything that had happened in the last few hours, about how I escaped Pallet and started my own journey. Deneb could hardly believe it.

"But how did you get here? This is Route 22." I couldn't believe what he said. Had I gotten that lost? I asked him where Route 22 was, and he explained it was another road leading out from Viridian City. I had managed to cut through the forests and skip the city entirely.

That same route also led to Victory Road, a special place for Pokemon Trainers. Deneb explained that every trainer wanted the same thing, to be allowed through Victory Road and to the Indigo Plateau, where all the greatest trainers go. Naturally, this meant I wanted to go there too!

"There's a test you have to pass first," Deneb told me. "You have to prove you can handle the road by collecting eight gym badges."

Gym badges, proof that you could fight Pokemon battles against the best trainers in the region. Viridian City had one of those gyms, but Deneb said it was closed for some strange reason when he went there. He wasn't sure where to go next, so he visited the entrance to Victory Road to ask. He told me that I'd have to go there and ask myself for a map of the region and where the gyms are located.

"But first," he said right after the explanation, "we should have a Pokemon battle!"

I looked at Deneb, confusion clearly visible on my face. I had heard about trainers fighting at random points along the roads, but I didn't expect to be fighting Deneb first! With only Vulpix at my side, I guess I had no choice but to ask her to fight again. She didn't object, and walked forward, holding her head high. Deneb threw a Pokeball at the ground, and out came his Bulbasaur in a red flash of light.

"One on one, Star. You ready?"

It made no difference what I had to say at that point, as Deneb's Bulbasaur ran forward. Vulpix stood there, not moving, unsure what to do, much like I was. It took Bulbasaur landing the first hit on Vulpix for me to finally snap into gear. Bulbasaur was a grass type, and Vulpix was a fire type. I had the advantage.

"Use your embers!"

My command rang loud and clear, and Vulpix spun forward, releasing dozens of small fires on Bulbasaur.

"Tackle her!"

Deneb's command reached Bulbasaur, and the Pokemon shot forward, evading the embers and ramming straight into Vulpix. I was beginning to see why Deneb wasn't worried about the type disadvantage. After two full on tackles, Vulpix was having trouble standing up. She was still slow from the Rattata fight before. One more attack was all Bulbasaur needed to win the fight.

"Vulpix, try Ember again!"

She heard me, but it took her a few moments to attempt the move. By that time Deneb had already ordered another tackle. I knew it was all over. I couldn't bare to see Vulpix hit again, so I jumped in the way. Deneb noticed, and told Bulbasaur to stop just in time. Vulpix couldn't keep her eyes open anymore, and finally collapsed.

"Vulpix, are you okay?" I called to her in my arms. Her breathing was heavy, but I guess it was more exhaustion than anything. I felt Deneb walk up behind me and tap on my shoulder with something.

"Take this." Deneb gave me a small, purple spray. He called it a potion, a special medicine for hurt Pokemon. It wouldn't bring Vulpix back to fighting strength, but it would stop her pain. I sprayed the potion on her, and watched as some life returned to her.

"I'm sorry about that," Deneb said. "I guess I went a bit crazy with that battle."

I couldn't exactly hold it against him. Pokemon battles were all going to be like that, whether I liked it or not. This was ultimately the test: could I endure the heartache of seeing Vulpix, and any other Pokemon that would eventually join me, take these kinds of beatings? I needed time to think.

"It's okay. I just need to let Vulpix rest for a while." I picked my tired critter up and faced Deneb.

"Viridian City is a couple hours back the way you came. Or, you could stay at the Pokemon Center outside Victory Road. It's only a few minutes away."

With Vulpix in the condition she was, I didn't want to risk anything. I asked Deneb to show me the way to the center, which he did without issue. However, once we were outside the door, he turned around and started towards Viridian City.

"Deneb? Aren't you going to stay?"

"Sorry, but I can't spare any time. If you plan to continue this adventure, maybe we'll see each other again on the road. Tell your mom I said hi!"

And just like that, Deneb started walking away. He stopped after a few steps, running back to me with a couple things in his hands.

"These are Pokeballs, you use them to catch wild Pokemon. I know you've never used one on Vulpix, but sometimes it's easier to keep them safe inside. You can have them, just in case."

I thanked him, and this time he left for good. I stayed outside the center, watching him until he disappeared behind the trees.

~o~

Inside, I left Vulpix in the care of a Nurse Joy, a beautiful lady that worked behind the counter of the center. The center was filled with papers about the Pokemon League, the same thing Deneb explained to me. The challenge was to collect eight badges from the region and face the Elite Four, the greatest trainers in the world. If reaching them was going to be as painful for Vulpix as today was, I didn't know if I wanted to go through with it.

There was a phone in the lobby, so I decided to give Mom a call. She was probably sick with worry, so there was nothing wrong with letting her know I was okay. Worst case scenario, I could ask her to drive out here to pick me up. The phone rang only once before she answered. When her face showed up on the phone's monitor, I could tell she had been crying.

"How could you leave like that? You know how worried I was? Why didn't you just tell me?" Her questions continued to flood the phone, not even giving me a chance to answer. I couldn't help but tear up a bit as she continued to yell at me. When she finally finished yelling at me, she asked one more definitive question.

"Where are you?"

"At the Pokemon Center," I told her. I didn't specify which one, though.

"The Viridian City center? I'll be there as fast as I can, so don't go anywhere!" I saw her gather her car keys and purse as she prepared to take off.

"No, Mom. I'm not going home." I said. She looked at me through the screen like I had just said a bad word.

"What? Why not?" I had never seen her look so angry about something. Still, I took a deep breath and explained.

I had decided, right then and there. It's true I never realized how dangerous the adventure would be, but I didn't want to quit. I didn't want to return to Pallet Town, to live a normal, boring life. There was a whole world out there, filled with things to do. I just needed a guide and a reason. Mom was the reason, and the Pokemon League challenge was the guide. I told her what I was planning to do, and that I needed some things for my adventure. I wanted her to go out to Viridian tomorrow and help me get off on the right foot.

"I want your help, Mom. Please."

There was nothing to stop her from driving out to Viridian City and taking me back home. I knew this, and so did she. She looked away from the screen, unsure how to answer my plea. With or without her help I was going on this adventure, for better or worse. This exact thought is what prompted her reply:

"I'll be there first thing in the morning."

I thanked her a dozen times over the phone, and said good-bye a dozen more after we sorted out the details.

It was dark outside by the time I finished talking to her. I asked Nurse Joy how Vulpix was doing, and she told me it'd be best if she slept the rest of the night without interruptions. Worried about me, she even offered me a bed on the second floor of the center. Before I took her up on that offer, I took a brochure from the League.

There were a few things I needed to brush up on before I set out the next morning.


	3. Stroll Through the Forest

Stroll Through the Forest, Chapter 3

With the morning, I was refreshed and ready to keep on moving! Vulpix was downstairs, happy to see me, and also looking ready to take on the world. Nurse Joy made sure I had a small breakfast before I left the center, and even let me have a few potions, just in case things got a little ugly on the way to Viridian City. Compared to the mess I made the day before, today was starting out better than right.

The day was bright and sunny, just like before. Not a cloud in sight. I looked down at Vulpix, happiness clear as day on her face. After taking a deep breath, I started my march forward. I hadn't walked more than a few minutes when another wild Pokemon fell out of the trees and into my path. It was a Mankey.

I stayed still for a moment, afraid that if I moved, the Mankey would get angry and attack me. It just looked at me, staring me down. When I finally blinked, it put up its fists and charged me. Vulpix jumped in front of me, taking the blow in my stead. I wasn't about to let my indecision from yesterday hurt Vulpix anymore.

"Vulpix, Tackle!"

She recovered from the punch quickly, and rushed the Mankey. It didn't have time to move out of the way, and Vulpix rammed the hairy Pokemon to the ground.

"Ember, now!"

Without hesitating, Vulpix followed my next order. She spun around, releasing the small fires that landed all over the fallen Mankey. It shot up, trying its best to douse the flames on its hair. As it panicked, I went in for the finishing blow.

"Vulpix, one more Tackle!"

The Mankey's back turned towards her, Vulpix had no problem ramming the Pokemon again, sending it flying towards me. The fires on its hair put out, it tried to get back up, but was too exhausted from the fight. I reached into my bag, taking out one of the Pokeballs Deneb gave me. The Mankey was too tired to resist, so the catch would be easy.

I dropped the Pokeball on the Mankey, watching as the Pokemon turned into a flash of red light and was sucked into the small red ball. It shook on the ground for a few seconds, as the Mankey tried its hardest to escape, but it quickly stopped moving, and the small red light on the release button turned off. I had caught my first Pokemon!

I picked up the Pokeball, looking at it closely for a while. It was my first true step towards completing the League challenge. It would all fall into place from here on out. I patted Vulpix on her head, and gave her my last cookie as a treat for her hard work. It was a good thing I asked Mom to bring as many cookies as she could for my adventure.

~o~

I made it to Viridian City without any other problems from wild Pokemon. That doesn't mean I didn't run into anymore, just that they were no longer a major concern for Vulpix. With some clever commands and fancy footwork, not a Rattata or Pidgey stood a chance against her! I only had one Pokeball left, so I didn't use it to catch any other Pokemon. I wanted to hold on to it, just in case something happened and I needed to put Vulpix away. The first stop was the Pokemon Center, where I told mom to meet me.

Entering Viridian City from the west was a bit strange at first. This wasn't the first time I'd ever been to the city, though. Since Pallet didn't have a lot of stores, Mom and I would take trips here to purchase things. I could probably find my way back home from the department store. If I could find the store in the first place, that is. But that wasn't my destination this time.

After a bit of wandering through the city, I found the Pokemon Center. Or rather, what was left of it.

I was shocked to learn that the Pokemon Center had been blown up just the night before. Mom was there waiting for me, just like we planned, but the center was nothing but a pile of rubble now. I asked the local Nurse Joy, the twin sister I gathered of the one at the other center, what happened. She told me the center was attacked last night by Team Rocket, a notorious gang of criminals. The Pokemon at the center were saved by some kid from Pallet Town and his Pikachu, though the building itself didn't survive the attack. Odd, I didn't recall Professor Oak giving away a Pikachu to new trainers.

At least Vulpix didn't have to worry about continuing north without proper rest. Nurse Joy set up a small camp outside the ruined center, treating any incoming Pokemon with a healthy stock of potions. While I let Vulpix rest (and handed Mankey over to the nurse in its Pokeball), I spoke with Mom about the things I asked for.

She had not only brought everything I needed, but extra stuff to boot! My bag at the time was small, hardly enough room to carry around all the gear a trainer needed, so Mom went out and bought me a brand new bag, packed with so many pockets, I could hardly count them. Extra clothes, a town map to help me find my way around the region, and she even bought me a jar of cookies for the road! Much as I liked them for myself, I decided to save them for Vulpix, as rewards for her battles on the road. Finally, Mom gave me a new wallet, stuffed with more money than I had ever seen in my entire life!

"I wish I could do more," she said, trying to hold back the tears. I got all teary-eyed myself just seeing her. She probably thought my leaving was all her fault, so I assured her it wasn't.

"I'll be back sooner than you think," I said to her. "Don't cry, Mom."

"Well, I suppose you're right. Be careful out there, and remember: if there's ever anything you need, just give me a call. I'll come running."

I gave Mom one last hug before I left. Well actually, she followed me across town, even going so far as to hold my hand until we reached the end of town. Normally, I'd be embarrassed beyond measure, but I didn't mind today. It was, after all, the last time I'd be seeing her. Not forever, but for a long, long time.

~o~

I read in the League brochure that first time trainers from Pallet or Viridian City usually had a bit of trouble starting out. This was because of the Viridian Forest, a large part of the road between Viridian and Pewter City, where one of the gyms was located. It was easier for people to travel between the two cities through a road that went completely around the forest, but that would take a trainer on foot a few days. Not to mention there were fewer Pokemon on the road, and let's face it: the entire purpose of the trainer is to be looking out for new critters to collect and raise.

I wasn't the only person in the forest. As I pushed through the tall grass and through the trees, I could hear other trainers around me, shouting commands to their Pokemon. The brochure said that simply locking eyes with another trainer was grounds for a Pokemon battle, and saying no wasn't exactly possible most of the time. I didn't quite get why not, but who was I to argue with the rules?

At one point, the grass got as tall as me, and since I was already getting tired of the itching sensation all over my legs and arms, I chose to cut through a pair of trees nearby. Other Pokemon no doubt would've done the same, which is why I walked straight into a spider web of some kind. Naturally, I started to scream and try to get the web off me, when a big, yellow bug attached itself right to my face. I stared at it for a full five seconds before I let out a screech that echoed throughout the forest.

As I scrambled to get the rest of the web off me, I sent the bug flying away, and my Pokeball fell off my belt, releasing Mankey. I wasn't paying attention to him, as I continued trying to get that web off me, with Vulpix's help. I'm guessing Mankey saw I was in trouble, saw the bug nearby, and jumped to my rescue. Once enough of the web was off my face, I just barely caught the end of the pummeling Mankey had given the bug, it trying its hardest to run away from the rampaging Pokemon. I reached for the Pokeball on the ground, and called Mankey back, saving the bug from one final blow.

Ignoring my sticky problem, I crawled over to the bug, which I could finally identify as a Weedle, and saw that it was hurt pretty badly. Not that I didn't appreciate Mankey's desire to help me out, but he really did a number on that poor Weedle, so I couldn't help but feel sorry for it. I reached into my bag for a potion, but the first thing I found was the Pokeball Deneb gave me the day before. I wanted to help the Weedle recover, but since it was down already, there was no harm in catching it first. I whispered an apology to it, then tapped it with the Pokeball, watching as the small bug was sucked inside. The ball didn't even shake once before the red light turned off.

Weedle now officially mine, I released him from the Pokeball, taking him in my arms as I sprayed his body with the potion. He was still very tired, but at least the pain was mostly gone. Rather than force him back into the Pokeball, I carried him in my arms for a little while, so that he could rest. I asked Vulpix to keep an eye out for me. I didn't want to run into any Pidgeys or Spearow, have them swoop down on me and try to eat Weedle.

Fortunately, thanks to that little run in, I found a shortcut through the forest, and could finally see the light from the outside just past the next bunch of trees. I picked up the pace a bit, trying to get Weedle to the center as quickly as possible. Then I felt someone grab my arm and hold me back. It was another trainer.

"Where you off to? I challenge you to a Pokemon battle!" Commanded a high pitched voice. I turned around to face the boy.

My first instinct was to deny and continue on towards Pewter City, but I knew he'd never let me go. Like it or not, I was going to battle this kid. I agreed to his challenge, and ordered Vulpix out first. From the look of the boy's clothes, he was a bug catcher. I had been studying the encyclopedia, and bugs were weak to fire.

"Go, Caterpie!"

From his Pokeball, a small green bug emerged, a pink antenna on its forehead. The boy knew this battle wasn't in his favor already, but he started the fight, so there was no going back now. I cradled the Weedle in my arms, letting the boy get the first move. It would only take one Ember from Vulpix to end this fight, so I figured I'd at least let him play ball for a moment.

"String Shot!"

The Caterpie shot forth a bunch of white string, covering Vulpix from top to bottom. The stuff was sticky, but I knew it wouldn't hold up against fire.

"Vulpix, use Ember!"

Vulpix heard my voice, and started to shake as hard as she could. From within, the fires burned away the string, and before long she was free. I shouted the command again, and watched as Vulpix charged the bug before slapping the bug into the air with her tail. Covered in burns, the bug crashed onto the ground, completely knocked out.

The boy called back his Caterpie, unsure if he should send out another to take its place. No doubt his only selection was of more bugs, and not a one would stand a chance against Vulpix. The air was tense for a few seconds, until the boy raised his hand. He threw in the towel.

"Guess I should've been more careful," he said as he walked up to me. There was something in his hands.

"It's okay," I said, "I didn't want to hurt your Pokemon too badly."

"Here." He gave me a handful of money, which I took, of course. I just wasn't sure why, and I guess the boy noticed.

"League rules, loser has to give the winner a small sum. Not everyone agrees with this rule, so don't be amazed if some stingy people try to run off."

I nodded and thanked the boy for being honest. I still hadn't read through the whole brochure, so I made a mental note to finish reading it when I got to the center. After saying goodbye to the boy, I called Vulpix over, and ran out of the forest. As I did, I heard some more screams behind me. I looked into the sky behind me, and saw a bunch of bees floating around. I sure didn't want to be anywhere near those things.


	4. The Boulderbadge

The Boulderbadge, Chapter 4

My first stop, as usual, was the Pokemon Center. To my shock, there was a Nurse Joy there as well! Triplets, I wondered? Regardless, I handed Weedle over to her, and she quickly rushed him to a separate room in the center for treatment. While I was at it, I gave Vulpix to her as well, so that she could be refreshed and ready for battle. The brochure said there was a gym here in Pewter City, and I was planning ahead for the inevitable battle.

Keeping Mankey at my side, I went next door to the local market. My potion stock was still good, but it was about time I picked up more Pokeballs. With my current three Pokemon, I couldn't hope to take on every challenge out there. It was pretty intimidating having to shop for all these things on my own. Before, I always had Mom around to lend a helping hand should I feel I was making a poor choice. Now, everything rested on my judgement, and I found myself second guessing every Pokeball past the first. Would it be a waste of money at this point? Just how many Pokemon would I be catching?

I ended up buying four, along with a few other medicines for the road. Couldn't be sure what kinds of critters prowled the roads beyond this city, or the trainers for that matter. The bug kid in the forest may not have been a tough fight, but I'm sure I'd be running into tougher trainers before long. My supplies stocked, I ran back to the center, where both Weedle and Vulpix sat by the front desk.

"It's fortunate you took care of Weedle so quickly," Nurse Joy told me. "We would've had to keep him overnight if you hadn't."

"So, he's all set to go?" I asked. Nurse Joy nodded.

"Thank you, Nurse Joy. I'll promise to take good care of him!"

"I'm sure you will. Have a safe journey!"

Once I was outside, I was about to return Weedle to his Pokeball, but instead I let him ride on my shoulder. I didn't exactly like the idea of forcing my friends into those things, but I couldn't have a bunch of Pokemon follow me around everywhere. It'd draw more trainers to me.

The sun was setting when I finally found the gym somewhere in the heart of the city. It was a huge building, much larger than I actually expected a gym to be. As I was about to open the front door, it swung open from the inside, knocking me on the head. Last thing I remembered was someone's voice calling out to me, and the blurry image of Vulpix and Weedle looking over me.

~o~

When I finally came to, I was in someone's house. Before noticing that, however, I saw Weedle, staring me down as usual. When he noticed I woke up, he instantly called out, leading Vulpix to jump on top of me and start licking my face. Once I had my two friends out of my face, I finally met with the good samaritan that took me in.

"I'm so glad you're finally awake! Does your head hurt still?"

As if on cue, a sharp throb struck the same place where the door of the gym swung open. I let out a small yelp and fell back on the couch. The young man ran off somewhere, and promptly returned with a bag of ice.

"I'm sorry about that, I didn't notice you on the other side of the door," he said as he placed the bag on my forehead. The cold of the ice wasn't any more comforting or painless, but I knew it was for the best.

"It's okay," I replied. "I hope you didn't go through too much trouble over me."

"Nonsense, it was the least I could do."

At that precise moment, a swarm of pitter-patter flooded the room, and children's laughter filled the area. I turned my head slightly, and saw what looked like a dozen little kids run over to my side.

"You're awake!"

"Are you okay?"

"What's your name?"

"Did my brother hurt you bad?"

"Can I play with your Pokemon?"

The questions from the kids continued to pour in, despite the young man's attempts to get them to scatter. I tried my best to be polite, but the truth was their noise was making my head hurt worse. Finally, the young man stomped his foot, grabbing the attention of the kids.

"Everyone, out! We have to let her rest!"

After a collective 'awww' from the kids, they slowly shuffled out of the room, most of them dragging their feet along the way.

"I'm sorry about that," he said with a weak smile. "They're my brothers and sisters."

"Wow, so many of them? Your parents must have it hard."

"Well, they did. My dad left to become a Pokemon trainer, and my mom left after him, I think. So, it's my job to look after them. I'm Brock, by the way."

"Star."

~o~

I stayed at Brock's place for a little while longer, until my head no longer killed me with every little movement. I was even invited to have dinner with his family, which I politely declined, having an agenda to fulfill. That is, until Brock let me in on a little secret.

"The gym leader isn't available at night, you'll have to try again tomorrow."

"You know him, then?" I asked.

"Yeah, you could say that. Looking to challenge him for a badge?"

"I want to try. My friend is trying to get to Indigo Plateau, and he told me I needed eight badges from Kanto to be allowed in. Has he passed through here? His name is Deneb."

"I think I remember someone by that name. I didn't knock him out with a door, though."

I smiled at Brock's comment. Deneb had already passed through Pewter, and defeated the gym leader, no doubt. I wasn't exactly racing him to the finish line, but I did want to see about traveling alongside him for a while. A Pokemon adventure was pretty lonely.

"So, can I interest you in something to eat? I'm sure my siblings would love to have a guest over."

"I guess. If it's not too much trouble."

"Not at all, Star." Brock replied with a smile.

So I ended up staying at Brock's place for dinner. And quite the noisy dinner it was! I was an only child, so I never knew what it would be like to grow up with a brother or sister, but for Brock to have nine of them? Wow! I had Weedle return to his Pokeball as soon as I found him, didn't want to risk losing him like a toy with all those kids running around.

At the dinner table, all of the kids continued to bombard me with questions. I tried my best to answer all of them, but between shoveling food into my mouth and keeping an eye on Vulpix, I had to skip over most of them. I knew she wouldn't hurt any of the kids, I just wanted to make sure she didn't tire herself out too much. Tomorrow was going to be a big day for us both.

After thanking Brock and his siblings for their hospitality, I made my way back to the Pokemon Center. Nurse Joy wouldn't turn away anyone looking for a place to sleep, and I didn't want to impose on Brock any more. Before I dozed off that night, I glanced over the brochure one more time, and noticed the gym leader of Pewter City specialized in the rock type. Vulpix wasn't a viable choice anymore for tomorrow's fight.

And that made falling asleep a bit harder.

~o~

I got up bright and early, and even had to carry Vulpix to the gym with me. Since she wouldn't be fighting today, I let her sleep a little while longer. When I got to the gym, I made sure to knock from a safe distance. When no one answered the door, I peeked through the glass to see if there was anyone inside. The gym was completely empty.

Figuring the gym leader was running late, I turned around to have a seat nearby, when I ran right into Brock again.

"You work here or something?" I asked him.

"Yeah, I do. Come inside."

Brock unlocked the doors to the gym, and I followed him inside. Once the lights were on, I saw the battlefield for today's fight. It was massive, with plenty of space for the Pokemon to move freely. Brock made his way across the space, placing his bag next to the lone chair at the other end of the field. It was quickly dawning on me just who Brock really was.

"Are you...?"

"Yeah, Star, I am. You came here to challenge the leader of this gym. My name is Brock, and I gladly accept your challenge."

I would later learn that Brock did not say anything about being the gym leader last night on purpose. It wasn't exactly a good sign for the leaders to get too friendly with trainers. What's more, it wouldn't be fair to other trainers if I got to know his Pokemon and strategies before I had my chance to fight him.

"Since this is your first gym battle, I'll explain the general rules. Our Pokemon fight until one is unable to battle anymore. You are allowed only two Pokemon for this challenge. Do you understand?" Brock's voice was different when he was on the job. That sense of serenity and love was gone; here, all that mattered was the battle. With Vulpix a poor choice for today's battle, I wasn't sure how I was going to pull this off.

"I call forth: Geodude!"

From Brock's Pokeball emerged a lump of rock with arms. The Pokemon wasn't very large, but his arms looked packed with muscle, and made of rock, no less. Weedle wasn't a good match, so all I had left was Mankey. I wasn't even sure I could properly control him, either. Still, the fight was on, so I pulled Mankey's Pokeball off my belt and threw it will all my might into the arena.

Once Mankey was free, he looked over in my direction. After seeing that I was perfectly fine, he turned around and saw the Geodude. Then he just sat down, showing no signs of worry over the opponent.

"Geodude, Rock Throw!"

Brock's Pokemon reached for the nearest boulder and hurled it at Mankey. I yelled at him, trying to get him to avoid the rock, but he didn't even listen to me. The rock crashed right into him, sending him flying across the field back to me. I ran to his side, worried he was harmed. Brock ordered his Geodude to stand down.

"Entering the arena isn't allowed, Star!" He yelled at me. It didn't matter to me, though. I had to make sure my Mankey was okay.

"Mankey! Are you alright?" I screamed, yet the Pokemon didn't move. Could a single attack like that... kill? I started to panic, shaking Mankey harder. I called his name, over and over, tears forming in my eyes. Brock didn't move, he didn't even say a word as I called out to Mankey. After a few moments of silence, his eyes slowly opened. Mankey saw me, tears in my eyes.

He shrugged off the blow, pushing me back out of the arena. He let out a sharp howl that echoed in the gym. The battle had just begun. Mankey rushed Geodude, not caring if that left him wide open to another attack.

"Geodude, full-on tackle!" Brock's command was a recipe for disaster.

The two Pokemon crashed into each other at full speed, kicking up a large dust cloud. I called out to Mankey, unsure if he had been hurt again. Once the dust settled, I saw that Mankey had Geodude in his hands, lifted high above his head. With a single movement, he sent Geodude flying towards the wall. Mankey followed his opponent, not even giving the Pokemon a chance to recover from the attack.

"Geodude, Defense Curl!"

Brock's command reached his Pokemon, and I saw that it tried to follow the order. But Mankey was too fast, and it grabbed Geodude before it could curl up into a small ball. Once again, Mankey swung with all his might, sending Geodude right back into the wall. The force was so great, it even cracked! When Geodude rolled over, it was clear for all to see that he had no energy left to fight.

"Geodude, return!" Brock absorbed his Pokemon into its Pokeball. Mankey had won the first round! I was so amazed at his victory, I ran into the arena to congratulate him myself. After giving him a hug and even a kiss on his head, the monkey hugged me back, a look of joy finally expressed on his face. My small victory was premature, though.

"Star, please go back to your side of the arena. There's still one more Pokemon on my team."

Once I returned to my side, Brock threw his last Pokemon into the arena. When the Pokeball erupted, the red flash of light nearly took up the entire gym. When it revealed the Pokemon, I was left in awe. It was a massive snake made of rock, an Onix, one of the largest Pokemon in the world. Mankey was a hairball compared to it.

"Onix, Constrict!"

Right away the giant snake dove in to catch Mankey. I didn't know if he'd start following my orders, but it was worth a shot all the same.

"Mankey, jump out of the way!"

Rather than follow my order, Mankey tried to run out of Onix's range. It didn't end well, either. Onix was too long for Mankey to try and escape, and he easily caught the small monkey. Locked in place, I could only scream as the Onix crushed Mankey in its grip. After a few seconds, Brock called for Onix to let him go. Mankey fell out unconscious, but otherwise okay.

"Your Mankey is unable to battle. Choose your next Pokemon, Star."

I put Mankey back in his Pokeball. It was either Vulpix or Weedle. Vulpix had far more experience, but I knew she wouldn't be able to outrun that Onix. Her fire moves also wouldn't do a thing to Onix. Weedle, on the other hand, was so small, Onix would only need to step on him to win the match. I looked at Vulpix, who was eager to jump into the arena. I didn't share her optimism, though. I reached for Weedle's Pokeball.

"Give it up, Star. Weedle doesn't stand a chance in this fight, and you know it. I don't want to hurt your Pokemon anymore." I had almost forgotten he knew which Pokemon were in my possession.

"Don't worry about me, Brock," I called back to him. Once Weedle was out on the field, I yelled my first command.

"Weedle, String Shot!"

Weedle started with Onix's tail, spraying the massive thing with all the web it could. Brock didn't order Onix to do anything, he just watched as Weedle slowly covered Onix's tail in web. After most of the tail was covered, Brock ordered Onix to break free of the string, which it did without a single bit of effort. I realized how pointless that strategy was.

"Weedle, Poison Sting!"

Loyally obeying my command, Weedle crawled up to the Onix's tail, driving his stinger directly into the snake's tail. He managed to poke through the hard rock skin, but if Onix took any damage, he didn't show any signs of it.

"Last chance, Star," Brock called out. "Do you give up?"

"Weedle! Poison Sting!" I yelled defiantly.

My command was the answer Brock didn't want to hear. After Weedle's attack connected, Brock gave his next order.

"Onix, Tackle!"

The massive snake raised its tail and swung at Weedle. It was all the force it needed to win the fight, anyway. Even I closed my eyes, unable to watch. It was after Brock gasped that I opened them and looked again. Weedle had somehow attached itself to Onix's tail! It was actually the string, which allowed Weedle to stick onto his tail and avoid the damage! At that instant, I saw Weedle begin to glow.

"Weedle!? What's happening?"

"It's evolving!" Brock called out, equally shocked.

After a moment, Weedle's glow disappeared, and a new Pokemon was now stuck to Onix's tail. Weedle had evolved into Kakuna! I scrambled for my encyclopedia, trying to bring myself up to date on what Kakuna was capable of. In the meantime, I heard Brock call out his next command.

"Onix, Constrict!"

I continued to flip through the pages of the book as fast as I could. If Onix managed to wrap around Kakuna, the battle would be over for me. When I finally landed on Kakuna's page, I skimmed the passage, finding only one highlighted command.

"Kakuna, Harden!"

Kakuna just barely managed to follow the order before Onix began to squeeze him. I yelled out the command over and over, and Kakuna continued to harden its body. I couldn't exactly tell, but it looked like Onix's attack wasn't doing anything to him! Onix even started looking a bit tired.

"I'd be willing to call a draw, Star. Kakuna cannot fight back, and it would take Onix hours to break through his defense."

"Does a draw mean I win?" I asked, hopeful.

"It means we get to try the battle again, from scratch." Not the answer I wanted.

"Kakuna, don't stop! Harden!"

I didn't know how long I'd be there, screaming out for Kakuna to maintain his Harden, but I would not back out. Brock was free to throw in the towel at any time, but I wasn't going to. That is, until I saw Kakuna's shell start to crack open. All this time, I thought he was safe from Onix's attack, but he was only chipping away at Kakuna's shell. The battle was turning bad, and fast.

"Kakuna! Please, don't give up!" I screamed. Brock didn't budge. His Onix was still doing the Constrict he ordered earlier. It looked like Onix wouldn't have to work much longer to win the fight.

I didn't know what else to do, until finally I heard it. Kakuna's shell cracked open. A flash of light burst out, and a giant bee emerged from the shell. He had evolved again, into a Beedrill! Once again, I went for my encyclopedia, turning the page from the Kakuna entry to the next one. The battle was about to turn in my favor.

"Beedrill, Poison Sting!"

Now airborne, Beedrill had no problem diving into Onix's face for the attack, making it much more powerful and effective against Onix. Before Brock could make a comeback command, I ordered the next one.

"Now, Pin Missile!"

Beedrill backed up a bit before charging full force into Onix, both its arms out and locked on. The impact sent Onix reeling back, screaming out in pain.

"Onix, return!" His order left me stunned.

After Brock made the giant snake disappear into its Pokeball, he started walking towards me. Beedrill returned to my side, now much larger than the Weedle he used to be.

"Congratulations, Star. The Boulderbadge is yours." Brock reached into his coat, removing one small, gray rock. It was the sign of my first true triumph. I took it in my hands, still in shock at how quickly everything had wrapped up.

~o~

"Why did you give up?" I asked Brock, now that we were back outside the gym. He looked away.

"Your Weedle managed to poison Onix with the first attack. I knew it was slowly eating away at him, but I actually thought he'd outlast your Kakuna's defense. That, or you'd throw in the towel." I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"You tried to scare me into forfeiting? When you knew you were the one losing?"

"I'm sorry, it was a low blow. Still your Beedrill managed to turn the tables on Onix. I have to say, Star, I'm impressed."

"No more than I am. I never thought Weedle would evolve so quickly, in the middle of the fight, no less." I gave Beedrill a pat on the head. He buzzed a bit at me.

"The wonders of bug Pokemon. They are famous for growing extremely fast. I have to be honest with you, I wasn't sure you were cut out to be a trainer."

"Why?"

"You're so nice, so gentle with your Pokemon. I didn't think you'd be able to force your Pokemon to battle as hard as a normal trainer. I'm sorry I underestimated you." Brock offered his hand in apology, which I took.

"I didn't think I had it in me, either. But, now I know. I'll make it all the way to the end. Thank you, Brock, for everything."

After he disappeared back into the gym, I put Beedrill back in his Pokeball. As usual, there was one more stop before I set out again, the center. As I made my way there, I ran across a boy in a red cap.

"Excuse me, do you know where the Pokemon Gym is?"

"Just down that road, it's that building," I told him, pointing out the gray gym I had just come from.

"Thanks. Come on, Pikachu." Just like me, his Pokemon was at his side, rather than in a Pokeball. The small yellow rodent looked at me with a smile before it followed its trainer towards the gym. As he walked off, I couldn't help but wonder how hard that boy would have it against Brock. If that Pikachu was his best, he'd have one hard fight ahead of him.

At that moment, I laughed a bit to myself. Without even trying, I was already thinking more and more like a Pokemon Trainer.


	5. Rockets in the Moon

Rockets in the Moon, Chapter 5

My team of Pokemon had won me a Boulderbadge. Vulpix felt a bit left out of the loop, but I promised her she'd get the chance to win us a different badge. More importantly, there was quite a road ahead to Cerulean City, our next destination. Mt Moon, the largest mountain in the Kanto region, was nestled between Pewter and Cerulean, forcing trainers to trek through the mountain itself. Figuring it'd be a dark road, I picked up a flashlight and plenty of spare batteries before I left Pewter. You won't find me as unprepared as I was when I first left Pallet!

Route 4 to Mt Moon was the first leg of the journey, and it was packed with trainers on their way through as well. At first I feared the worst: endless battles before I could even reach the mountain. Fortunately, since we all had a similar destination in mind, there was a general agreement that we'd keep the challenges on hold until after we were past the mountain. Actually, this was a bit of a mixed blessing, as it meant I couldn't see everyone else's Pokemon. Knowing the enemy is a big part of training, right?

Well, though there were quite a few of us, I counted probably ten or eleven, we split off into smaller groups of three trainers. Organizing this little field trip was a boy I recognized quite well: Gary Oak of Pallet Town. He was the first kid to receive a Pokemon from Professor Oak, naturally, since he was Oak's grandson. I was more surprised by the fact that he had since abandoned his fangirls and ditched the car he set off from Pallet on. Maybe he was going for a more traditional journey? Hard to believe, seeing as how this is Gary Oak we're talking about.

We all grouped off on our own, so I didn't get to say hello to Gary right there. First off in my group was David, a young man dressed rather fanciful for being out in the wild. Perhaps he's dressing for some unseen audience, but who seriously goes out on dirt roads in slacks and a peacoat? The other trainer was a girl, much better dressed for the road than even me! From sneakers that looked like they'd traveled the world and back, to a sharp-looking white hat with a Pokeball patch on the front. She was set for adventure, and her name was Rebecca.

"It's a good thing this Gary kid organized us like this," said Rebecca. "It would've been insane for all of us to go battling our way through the mountain separate."

"Indeed," replied David. "I'll have to give him my sincere gratitude soon as we're through the mountain."

"Actually," I chimed in, raising my voice ever so slightly, "you'd better not. I know him, and he doesn't like attention that isn't praise."

"Acquaintances, are you?" David's eyebrow rose.

"Sort of," I corrected him. "We're both from Pallet Town, but we never really talked to each other much. He is a bit famous there, though."

"If there's one person I'd like to challenge to a battle here, it's him." Rebecca was eyeing Gary the entire time, seemingly fixated on him. I smelled a fangirl being born. Naturally, I didn't mention this.

"Don't think us much of a challenge?" David's question only got a hand gesture from Rebecca, one that meant 'not really'. Her attitude got me wondering just what kinds of Pokemon she had on her team.

Before our conversation could keep moving, Gary called out for all the groups to follow him into the mountain. We were all in together, but the reason we split off into smaller groups was for better coordination in battles. Mt Moon was pretty heavy with wild Pokemon, and not just the annoyance that is Zubat. Rock type Pokemon like Geodude were abundant in the caves, and that spelled trouble, especially for Vulpix. Pretty unfair how ineffective fire types are in the Pokemon world.

Once all the groups were inside, Gary gave the signal to release our primary Pokemon. To avoid ambushes, he suggested having our critters on the ready, and to help stave off Zubat attacks. Everyone seemed to hate Zubats here, though I never got why. I just went along with everyone to not be the odd girl out. David released a Diglett, a Pokemon that was smaller than Weedle was. How such a small Pokemon could hold up in battle was beyond me. Rebecca, on the other hand, showcased her Weepinbell. The entire time, I was hoping for a Zubat attack. I wanted to see their Pokemon in action.

~o~

Strangely enough, once we were inside the caves, there was no need for actual flashlights. The walls were covered in thousands of sparkly crystals, all reflecting light from somewhere deeper inside the mountain. We stayed about a few feet apart from each group, to avoid a giant mess of trainers and Pokemon, all shouting in the cave trying to issue commands. My group was at the end of the line, and I was stuck with the rear. Naturally, this meant I was going to be the first to fall down some trap door or weak floor into a darker part of the cave. And sure enough, my guess was right on the money.

Once the groups started to split up, going down different tunnels, David took the lead as we went through the tunnel assigned to us by Gary. Since Diglett could see in the dark, or underground, it was only natural he led the way. Sadly, Pokemon can't talk, so I wasn't warned by Diglett that there was weak footing along the side of the tunnel. Once I stepped on it, the floor collapsed, and I fell down quite a ways, Vulpix jumping down after me.

Normally, a fall from that height would kill me. I'm no superhero, so there was obviously something else that saved me: the back of someone walking around. Much like you'd see in some cartoon, it was thanks to me landing on his back that I escaped that fall alive. The man who saved me, however, wasn't thrilled at the idea. Once I was off him, he stood up, and his clothes were barely visible in the poor light. The one thing I did see was a large letter R in red.

"Who are you?" He barked at me.

"My name is Star," I answered, brushing the dirt off my dress. "I was just making my way through the cave when I fell down."

From above, I could hear Rebecca and David calling out to me, but before I could answer them, the man grabbed a Pokeball from his belt. He released his Pokemon, a large, hungry-looking Raticate.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave," he said. Behind him, another guy dressed identically popped up. He released a Pokemon of his own, a purple floating ball with a permanent grin: Koffing. I took a step back, not sure why they were threatening me.

"I don't want any trouble, I just want to get through the cave to Cerulean." Vulpix stood in front of me, growling at the two Pokemon and men. They took it as a sign to battle.

"Raticate, Quick Attack!" One called out.

"Koffing, Tackle!" The other ordered.

Before Vulpix could even move, the Raticate appeared behind her, tackling her right into Koffing, which sent her flying back to me with his own attack.

"Vulpix, hang in there! Use Ember!"

Once she had shrugged off the attacks, Vulpix leapt towards the Raticate, spinning around like she usually did, releasing a bunch of small fires. Raticate backed away after feeling the burn, but Koffing was still ready. He came flying in, tackling Vulpix back into my arms again. The battle wasn't going so well. I figured if they were going to play dirty, I'd do the same. I reached for a Pokeball and released Beedrill.

"Beedrill, use Pin Missile!"

Beedrill charged forward, driving his two arms into Koffing. Before Beedrill could recover from the action, Raticate came charging forward, tackling Beedrill to the ground.

"Vulpix, tackle Raticate!"

Vulpix obeyed my order, but right after she did, Koffing came back through the air and tackled Vulpix right back. I was trying my best, but I just couldn't keep up with their combined orders. Vulpix was already having trouble getting up, and Beedrill wouldn't be long in falling either. In a moment of silence, I even considered releasing Mankey next, but it wouldn't help. I couldn't compare to two people throwing orders at the same time.

After another painful attack, Vulpix ended up at my feet, and Beedrill shortly after. I returned Beedrill to his Pokeball, and scooped up Vulpix in my arms. Those men thought they had won, but I wasn't going to give myself up. I started running in the opposite direction, desperate to get away. The passage got darker and darker, and I could hardly see where I running. I ended up tripping on something, and I fell down, Vulpix flying out of my arms and landing nearby.

A tear escaped me, and I looked down at my knee. It was dark, but I could still tell I had hurt myself when I fell. There was blood all over my knee. From there, I looked back a ways, see what it was I tripped on. It was as big as Vulpix, and it was peachy colored. It was a Pokemon! The little thing got up, a bit dazed from running into me. It noticed I was hurt, and walked up to me. I finally could identify it: a Clefairy!

With a waggle of its finger, sparkles flew out, and just like that, the cut on my knee was all healed! Footsteps from behind Clefairy got louder, and those men showed up again, this time with another in their group.

"Look! A Clefairy! Catch it, quick!" Each of the men pulled out a pair of Pokeballs, all intent on being the one to catch the rare Pokemon. However, Clefairy noticed what they were trying to do, and ran behind me, using me as a shield. The men stood there, baffled.

"That's your Pokemon?" One of them asked. There was some rule about not being able to catch Pokemon belonging to another trainer, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to lie to protect Clefairy.

"Y-Yes," I stammered. "It is."

"Then I guess we'll be taking it before we dispose of you." One of the three men said. He raised his arm, Pokeball at the ready.

"Razor Leaf!"

A familiar voice echoed throughout the tunnel, and a storm of leaves cut through the three men. It was Rebecca and David! Their Pokemon ready for action, they continued to bark orders to keep the men's attention away from myself and Clefairy. In the meantime, I scrambled towards Vulpix, taking a potion from my bag and spraying it on her. She still needed some rest, but at least she wouldn't be in pain anymore.

As the battle raged on in the background, the Clefairy remained by my side, choosing not to leave. I asked it why it didn't take the chance and get away, but the Pokemon denied. It didn't want to leave my side.

"You want to be my Pokemon?" I asked it. The Clefairy nodded, as if it really understood the question. I took out a spare Pokeball from my bag, and showed it to her. The Clefairy poked at the ball, causing it to open and suck her inside. She made no effort to break free. Why would a wild Pokemon willingly allow itself to be captured?

The battle between my friends and the three men continued in the distance, with Rebecca and David on the offensive. The third man had released another Raticate of his own, but from what I could tell, it was the last Pokemon standing. What I had done on my own wasn't much, but the first Raticate and Koffing were both tiring out. David's Diglett might've been a tiny Pokemon, but it was blazingly fast and deftly handling both Raticates.

Meanwhile, Rebecca's Weepinbell was constantly blasting leaves in their direction. Rebecca was quite the fierce trainer, never letting up on her commands. Before long, even the newcomer to the battle had to issue a retreat.

"Let's get outta here!" He called out to his identically dressed partners. The other two didn't raise any objections, and they took off down the tunnel. Rebecca started after them.

"Come back here, you cowards!" She screamed, which echoed all around us.

"You might want to check in on our friend, first," mentioned David in a calm demeanor. Rebecca stopped short and turned to him. Her glance shifted to me, then back to the men that had run off. She let out a sigh, then walked over to my side.

"Are you alright, Star?" She asked.

"I'm fine," I told her, keeping up a smile. "I didn't even know who they were. They just attacked me out of nowhere."

"Team Rocket," answered David, "They're a gang that use Pokemon to do all sorts of bad things. I wonder what they were doing here in Mt Moon?"

"Whatever they were doing," Rebecca said, cutting in, "isn't our problem anymore. We should hurry, we wouldn't want to worry Gary and the other trainers."

Though Clefairy had healed the cut on my knee, the pain was still very much there, so I had to lean on David's shoulder as we made our way out of the tunnel. Luckily, we didn't run into anything or anyone else along the way back. Great news for me, I was dead tired.

~o~

Once we were outside the caves, we ran into Gary Oak. All the other trainers had already left for Cerulean, but he had stayed behind to make sure we got out safely.

"What happened back there? You three okay?" From anyone else, it would've sounded like genuine concern. But this was Gary Oak, so it was obligation more than anything. He had organized this whole thing, after all.

"Sorry, Gary," I told him, "I fell down some hole and ran into a bunch of guys from Team Rocket. Thanks to Rebecca and David here, I was saved."

He looked at me closely, wondering where he knew me from. Before I could say anything, he spoke again.

"Well, at least you're all okay." Gary noticed I was leaning on David for support. "If you want, I can carry you to Cerulean City's hospital."

"Uhh, that's okay," I answered, a bit flustered. "I'm sure I can get there on my own."

Gary Oak? Carry me to Cerulean? I swear I felt my heart skip a beat or two.

"Nonsense, how could I let you limp all the way there, especially with your Vulpix injured like that?"

Gary didn't even give me a chance to deny him this time. He walked over to me, scooped me up off my feet, and allowed me to adjust myself before we got moving. I yelled back a goodbye to David and Rebecca, though I had a feeling she didn't like the idea of me leaving in Gary's arms. Once we were out of earshot, Gary asked me again who I was.

"You look familiar, have we met before?"

"Not officially," I answered with a smile. "I'm Star. We're both from Pallet Town."

"I knew there was a reason why you looked so familiar! So, you left that little hick town with one of Gramps' Pokemon as well?"

"Actually, Vulpix here has been mine for a year now. I left to follow my friend Deneb, but I haven't seen him since we met on Route 22."

"You mean you've been traveling all this time, and you don't even have a Pokedex?"

"What's a Pokedex?" I asked.

My question was answered with a long explanation. Basically, a Pokedex was some super fancy gadget encyclopedia with all sorts of information about Pokemon stored on it. Professor Oak handed them out to new trainers as helping aids, and since I left without seeing him, I never got one.

"How long will you be in Cerulean City, Star?"

"Well, there's a gym there, so I'll only be there until I get the badge. If Deneb already got through Mt Moon, he'd probably be on his way out of Cerulean. I'm trying to catch up to him."

"Well, after I drop you off at the hospital, I'll give my Gramps a call. I'll ask him to send over a new Pokedex for you on the double."

"Oh, you don't have to do that!" Helpful a tool as it was, I was already getting a free ride to the city in his arms. I couldn't ask for anything else!

"Nonsense, it won't be a problem! It'll be a lot easier for you than carrying around that thick book." Gary had taken notice of my encyclopedia, which was poking out of my bag as he carried me along. That made me feel a bit bad, since it only made carrying me harder.

Still, I thanked Gary for the thought and gift. Once we were in the city, he dropped me off at the local Pokemon Center first, so I could leave my Pokemon to rest. He then carried me all the way across town to the hospital, checking me in and taking care of all the boring paperwork. Once I was in a room awaiting a doctor, Gary stopped by one last time.

"I just called Gramps, he said he'll have that Pokedex brought here by Pidgeot first thing tomorrow morning!"

"Thanks, Gary, for everything. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you had a crush on me, or something." Much to my shock, he blushed! Gary Oak, the most vocal, cocky Pokemon trainer to ever walk the planet, blushed! I giggled a bit when I saw this, and he immediately took that as a cue to leave.

"Well, it was a pleasure helping you out Star. Now, I have to get back to my own adventure. Maybe we'll see each other again on the road."

After giving me a thumbs up, Gary let himself out of the room. I hugged my leg as I sat on the bed, waiting for the doctor. New Pokemon on my team aside, Gary Oak has not only carried me into town, but also blushed when I teased him! I couldn't help but smile the rest of the day!


	6. Adventures in the Blue City

Adventures in the Blue City, Chapter 6

If there's something I don't understand, it's why doctors want you to stay overnight at the hospital for whatever reason. If you walk in like I did, say your knee hurts because you tripped on a Pokemon, they'll quickly snap an X-ray, make sure it's not broken, and then ask you to stay the night for 'observation'. If it's not broken, what else could possibly be wrong with it? Long story short, I had to stay the night at the hospital. And those hospital beds just aren't comfy, and those gowns get in the way when you're trying to sleep.

My complaints aside, I was finally allowed to leave the next morning. At the front desk, I had a card from Gary, telling me that by lunch time or so the package from Professor Oak would arrive. I'd have to pick it up at the local market, so I was stuck in Cerulean at least until then. Either way, I had a busy schedule that morning: the Cerulean City gym needed conquering! After picking up my Pokemon at the center (and giving Vulpix a big hug, she missed me, you see), I made my way to the gym.

Unlike Brock's gym, which was just some dull building with the word 'GYM' splattered across it a few times, this one had a giant statue on top. It was a Dewgong, one of the few Pokemon I recognized, it being another favorite of mine. Once I was inside, I realized the running motif was water, so that probably meant Vulpix would have to sit this battle out as well. She didn't like the idea much, either.

I asked at the front desk about the challenge, but the lady there only sold tickets to some special show. Curious, I bought a ticket, and went on through the main doors. Rather than an arena for battle, I found a giant swimming pool, with a few ladies performing all sorts of tricks with Pokemon inside. The stadium was packed with people cheering on the performers, so I took a seat somewhere in the front row to get a better view.

From somersaults in the air to dancing underwater, the three ladies inside the pool used various water Pokemon, like Seel and Goldeen, to help them in their tricks. I even found myself clapping at some points, almost forgetting why I was there. At least Vulpix wasn't sour anymore, she was enjoying the show almost as much as me! With the final act complete a little while later, everyone started shuffling out of the stadium. I ducked underneath one of the bleachers, intent on talking to the ladies after everyone had left.

"Great show!" Said one of the three after they thought everyone had left.

"I'm tired, you guys," another one said. "I'm heading home early. Catch you guys later."

"Guess we have clean up duty," the third girl said. "Rock-paper-scissors for the pool?"

I watched from under the bleachers as the blonde won the match with a pair of scissors. The brunette let slip a curse under her breath, taking a mop from beside the pool, she got right to wiping the floor near the pool. It was then that I popped my head out from under the bleachers. Of course, she got scared and screamed a little before pointing the mop at me.

"Who are you?" I raised my arms up, as did Vulpix.

"I'm just here for a Pokemon battle," I told her. "This is a Pokemon gym, right?"

"Oh, is that all?" She lowered the mop.

"Yeah, I saw the show, by the way. You three were great!"

"Thanks, kid. Well, about the battle," she looked around for a second, she seemed unsure about the whole thing. "Normally, I'd ask if you could come back, say later this week?"

"Umm..." I didn't want to, but I took a second to find some polite way of saying it. Not that I'd end up having to.

"Yeah, I know, you'd rather not. Well, as you can see, we are all pretty beat after the show. Our 'gym' Pokemon are also at the center." She was having trouble coming up with excuses.

"So, I don't get to take the challenge?"

"You understand, right?" She patted me on the head, though it wasn't much consolation. Brock was more than willing to battle, why were these girls making such a big deal of it all?

"Tell you what, how about I just give you this?" She reached into a case by the pool, taking out a badge in the shape of a water droplet. It was the Cascadebadge.

"Isn't this cheating?" Not that I'd never cheated on something before, but this time it just felt wrong.

"Think of it as a reward for... tenacity! I mean, not many people would stay after the show to ask for a battle, right?" Her reasoning wasn't very good, either. Still, I noticed she was trying harder and harder get me to go away, so I figured there was no harm in taking it. Don't ask, don't tell.

"Thanks, I guess," I said as I took the badge. The lady gave me another pat on the head.

"No problem, kid! Now, if you don't mind, I do have some cleaning up to do here."

~o~

It wasn't even midday, and already I was bored. I stared down the Cascadebadge in my hand, feeling guilty about how I had earned it. But at the same time, I was also wondering if Deneb had gotten a chance to fight for his own. I figured it was Gary who put their Pokemon in the center last night, so Deneb probably came by earlier. Vulpix yawned, curling up on the floor next to me. Waiting for that package to arrive was terribly boring. At least, it was until I saw a familiar face walking around nearby.

"Deneb!" My voice reached him, and he smiled as he ran over to my side. My scream also woke Vulpix, but she did her best to fall back asleep.

"Wow, Star, didn't expect to see you here already."

"I got here yesterday. You won't believe how."

We took a seat by the market. I explained everything that had happened since our last encounter on Route 22. The forest, my battle with Brock, and the whole fight with Team Rocket in Mt Moon. Finally, I ended with meeting Gary outside the caves, and how he carried me into the city! Of course, Deneb was left speechless.

"You mean, our Gary Oak? From Pallet Town?"

"Yeah, can you believe it? He was always so stuck up in class." By this point, Vulpix was up and about, feeling refreshed after her nap. When I went to pet her, the Cascadebadge fell out of my hands. I had forgotten I was playing with it before Deneb showed up.

"Oh, I see you got your second badge already!"

"This? Well, truth is I didn't actually earn it." I went ahead and explained everything that happened in the gym.

"I noticed when I battled them yesterday," Deneb said, showing me his badge on his backpack, "they aren't exactly the best trainers."

"At least you fought them. I feel like a cheater."

"How's this, then: you and I have a battle? Consider beating me as your second gym match." Deneb didn't even wait for my answer, he was already getting up and ready for battle.

"Right here?" I asked, looking around at some people passing by. "Wouldn't we get in trouble for battling here in the city?"

"We'll head over to the park, just to be safe. What do you say?"

I knew Deneb had probably gotten much better since we last saw each other. Win or lose, the badge was still mine, so there was certainly nothing to be lost from the battle. Vulpix was egging me on, even! I nodded, accepting Deneb's challenge. He offered me his hand, which I took gladly, and he led me all the way to the park. Hand in hand, and Vulpix close behind!

~o~

"You have three Pokemon at least, right?" Deneb asked as he stood on the far side of the park.

"Yeah, I do," I answered.

"Then we'll have a three on three match. Since I'm playing the gym leader, I pick my Pokemon first."

He took a Pokeball from his belt, throwing it out into the field. A Butterfree was his first Pokemon. The smart choice was to send Vulpix, bug Pokemon being weak to fire, but I went with Beedrill instead. Fair play and all. Once both Pokemon were out, the battle began.

"Butterfree, Sleep Powder!"

"Beedrill, dodge and use Poison Sting!"

Butterfree flew up as high as it could, raining down that sparkly dust on the field. Beedrill found it hard to avoid, so he just flew up at Butterfree at top speed, landing the hit before he fell down, knocked out cold. I screamed at him to wake up, but he was completely out.

"Butterfree, Psybeam!"

With Beedrill out cold, Butterfree had no problem charging up its next attack, which shot forth a rainbow colored bullet at Beedrill. The attack sent Beedrill rolling to the sidelines, where he tried to get back in the air.

"Beedrill, Pin Missile!"

"Tackle, Butterfree!"

Before Beedrill could even get back into the air, Butterfree came crashing down on him, knocking him out for good. The first round was Deneb's. I called back Beedrill, and he called back his Pokemon.

"It's okay, Star! Next round!"

He threw out his next Pokeball, releasing a small bird. It was a Spearow. Mankey would've been a terrible choice, but Vulpix I wanted to save for the final round. I knew he still had his Bulbasaur, and I wanted at least one victory. I went with Clefairy instead, her first match.

"Lucky you!" Deneb called out upon seeing my Pokemon. "Extremely rare, those Clefairy!"

"Thanks!" I smiled.

"Spearow, Sand-Attack!"

"Clefairy, uhh..." I completely blanked out. I was so focused on the gym battle and Gary last night, I didn't bother to look up Clefairy's attacks! I scrambled for my encyclopedia, but that wasn't stopping Deneb's attacks.

"Clefairy, just run away for now!"

I started flipping through the pages of my book, all the while Clefairy ran around in circles, dodging Spearow's moves as best she could. Deneb may not have been stopping his assault as I read up on Clefairy's powers, but at least he went easy on her as I brushed up.

"Clefairy, use Doubleslap!"

A command finally in, Clefairy jumped up towards Spearow, smacking the poor bird a few times before she fell down. It was actually quite a silly attack.

"Spearow, Fury Attack!"

Reasonably enraged, Spearow swooped down on Clefairy, poking her repeatedly with his beak. After the attack was down, Clefairy was already looking pretty beat.

"Clefairy, heal yourself! Metronome!"

It was Clefairy's signature move, one that could allow it to use any ability she needed. What I had neglected to finish reading, however, was that Metronome was, more often than necessary, completely random. As I saw for myself, she waggled her finger, but instead of recovering from her wounds, she somehow started breathing fire at Spearow instead! It was an unexpected attack, but it also just barely missed Spearow.

"One more Fury Attack!"

Sadly, it didn't take more than a single peck to finish Clefairy off. She just wasn't ready to battle against Deneb's toughened critters. After we both called back our Pokemon, Deneb pulled out his final round critter.

"I'm pretty sure I can guess who you'll be using this time."

"Vulpix, you're finally up!" She leapt into the air with joy before running out into the field. Deneb knew his Bulbasaur would be at a disadvantage, yet that was the Pokemon he was about to release.

"Go, Ivysaur!"

Much to my shock, his Bulbasaur had already evolved! It didn't look much different from Bulbasaur, save for being a bit larger in size, and he had a large flower bud on his back instead. Vulpix still had the type advantage, but Deneb had a plan. He always did.

"Vulpix, Ember!" This time, I went with the first strike, intent on ending the match before Deneb could show off Ivysaur's moves.

"Leech Seed!"

Vulpix spun around in front of Ivysaur, releasing the dozens of small flames all over the Pokemon. Ivysaur cried out in pain, but it still followed Deneb's command. A small seed shot out of his back, and landed right on Vulpix's back. Vines started growing out of it on the spot, and Vulpix became obsessed with scratching the thing off.

"Vulpix, ignore it! One more Ember!"

"Poison Powder!"

Again, Vulpix spun around to cover Ivysaur in flames. He didn't even try to avoid the rain of fire, but took advantage of Vulpix's action to land his own attack. Vulpix was now breathing heavily, the powder taking full effect on her. Ivysaur was taking the punishment too easily, and something smelled off. Vulpix screamed out when the vines on her back sapped away some of her health.

"Vulpix, what's wrong?"

"Leech Seed: it plants a small parasite on the Pokemon, draining them of their health over the battle. It also heals Ivysaur in the process."

Just like Deneb said, Ivysaur's wounds were beginning to heal. I was so busy trying to finish the battle quickly, I allowed Vulpix to walk right into these traps. Between the seed's saps and the poison, Vulpix would fall long before Ivysaur. Still, it was too late now to go back on my strategy.

"Vulpix, one more Ember!"

Deneb didn't even call out his next attack. Vulpix screamed a bit as the seed sapped her again. She stood there for a moment, and I worried she wasn't going to have the strength to do one more attack. Then, rather than rain down the fires again, Vulpix opened her mouth wide, releasing a wave of flames on Ivysaur. She had finally mastered her Flamethrower attack! Ivysaur didn't endure the attack, and fell over.

"Wow! I seriously didn't expect to see that!" Deneb recalled his Ivysaur. At that moment, Vulpix fell over, exhausted from the battle. I ran over, potion in hand.

"Stop, don't waste your supplies," Deneb said, walking up to me. He pulled out a different spray bottle from his own bag, using it on Vulpix. The seed on her back, and the purple powder both washed away.

"Full Heal, cures any ailment on a Pokemon," he said, "Now just take her to the center. You don't want to go using up all your potions so quickly."

"Thanks, Deneb," I said. "Walk with me to the center?"

~o~

The battle was over, and though I technically lost, I now felt better than ever. It wasn't an official gym battle, but no doubt Deneb was already much better than those girls at the gym, anyway. Sadly, once Nurse Joy returned with his Pokemon, he said he had to go.

Wait a minute, Nurse Joy? Just how many of them are there? Before I answered to Deneb, I just had to ask the nurse about the other Joys in Pewter, Viridian, and Route 22. Turns out, they're all sisters. Makes absolutely no sense to me, but it just looked weird at first. Anyway, Deneb had to go.

"We both have two badges now," I said, eager to travel alongside him. "We can go together, right?"

"Sorry, Star, but I'm afraid not. A Pokemon adventure is something you do on your own. At least, I want to go it alone. It's not that I don't want to travel with you, just..."

"Just nothing! There's no excuse this time! We're both heading to the same places, I don't see why you don't want to travel with me!" For some reason, I was angry. I didn't realize why, at the time. But now I do, of course.

"Star, look: I'll make you a deal," he said, grabbing me by the shoulders. "We continue on our separate ways, for now. I'm sure we'll meet up again sometime, but I promise you, cross my heart, we'll get to travel again together."

"When? Next time we meet?"

"Viridian City. There's a gym there, but it was locked up while we were there last. I asked some people, and they said the gym leader closed shop for a while, to train his Pokemon all over the world. He'll be back later this summer, to offer the Earthbadge to anyone who can beat his Pokemon. I promise you, I'll wait for you there, and we can go on through Victory Road together after that."

"So, you're saying I have to continue on this quest alone, until then?" Deneb nodded.

"I just... I want you to become a better trainer, and I know you'll do a lot better if I'm not around to help you." Like that girl from the gym, his reasons sucked. All I was hearing was that he didn't want to hang around me.

"Fine, whatever," I answered, not caring anymore.

"I read something in school once," he continued, his hands still holding my shoulders. "It said: 'absence makes the heart grow fonder'. Some love poem thing."

At that moment, Deneb kissed me on the cheek! I was so shocked by the act, I immediately blushed hot red. He smiled at me.

"I'll see you, then?"

I nodded, but didn't say anything. I was so shocked, I could hardly form a thought. Deneb left, and truth is I didn't even notice. We had been friends for the longest time, but never did I think he liked me. At least, not like-like me. That kiss proved it, though: the real reason why Deneb didn't want to travel together. If he liked me that much, to kiss me, why didn't he want to travel together?

Boys are just so weird.


	7. The Genius on the Hilltop

The Genius on the Hilltop, Chapter 7

With Deneb on his way east, there was little else keeping me in Cerulean. From this point on, the brochure from the League only marked off the cities with gyms to tackle, so I was pretty much on my own. Saffron City, Celadon City, and Vermillion City were all close by, so any of the three would do for my next stop. Unfortunately, as I made my way back to the market to pick up that Pokedex, I heard something on a TV screen that pretty much put a stop to my plans. Saffron City's doors were closed to travel.

How they were able to shut in the people who lived there, and shut out everyone else doesn't make much sense, but for the moment it looked like I was stuck yet again in Cerulean City. Rather than start worrying, I picked up the Pokedex at the market, sure that everything would work out eventually.

Once I had that little red gadget in my hands, I could see why Gary said it was such a helpful tool. Everything that was in my encyclopedia was in here, all colorfully displayed on a small screen, and it even talked! I tested it on Vulpix, aiming the little camera eye at her and hitting the scan button. The gadget instantly turned on and displayed a picture of Vulpix.

"Vulpix, the Fox Pokemon. At the time of birth, it has just one tail. The tail splits from its tip as it grows older." The Pokedex shouted, before switching to a list of all of Vulpix's abilities in battle. At least now I didn't have to worry anymore about going into battle unprepared.

Along with the Pokedex, there were a couple letters in the box. One was from Professor Oak, the other from Mom. I opened Mom's first, feeling bad that I hadn't given her a call since we last saw each other in Viridian City.

Dear Star,

How are you? It's been a week since I saw you in Viridian City. When Professor Oak told me he was sending you a package way out in Cerulean City, I quickly wrote this letter. I hope you're doing fine, and please, remember to call me once in a while! I miss you so much! Say hi to Vulpix for me.

"Mom says hi," I told Vulpix. She jumped into my arms, licking my face. It was always her way of saying hi to Mom. I folded up Mom's letter and put it in my bag. Next up was Professor Oak's letter.

Star,

Be sure to thank my grandson for letting me know about you. Inside you'll find all the instructions for the Pokedex, so it shouldn't be that hard to figure out. Also, I'm pretty sure you'd want to pay Bill a visit. He lives north of Cerulean, just follow Route 24. I'm sure he can be of help to you on your journey. Just tell him Oak sent you.

"Bill on Route 24," I mumbled to myself. I took a look at the map on the brochure, seeing a small house drawn somewhere north of Cerulean City. Whoever this Bill was, he must've been very important to have his small house marked on the map like that. Still, with Saffron City closed, there was no harm in making a small side trip.

After packing away Oak's letter in my bag, I started towards the north exit. Vulpix followed close behind, and neither one of us knew what kinds of trouble we were about to get into on Route 24.

~o~

Route 24 was actually more of a big bridge than anything, for your information. Sure, there was a beaten path and green forest, but the Nugget Bridge was the number one attraction here. It was a local trainer hotspot, where Pokemon battles were expected at every turn. Route 25, just beyond, was also another hotspot, that one more for wild Pokemon hunting than anything else. I was on my way to see this Bill guy, but that wasn't enough excuse for these trainers. Like it or not, I'd have to do battle with a dozen people along the way.

Naturally, I don't intend to bore you to tears with every battle I fought here. They were all mostly run-of-the-mill trainers, touting their Rattatas and Pidgeys and Spearow. A few even broke the mold with critters I hadn't seen yet in real life, like Nidoran, Grimers, and even one Abra. That was the highlight of Nugget Bridge for me, actually, I could not seem to get over how adorable that Abra was!

Moving right along, and for reference, I used Mankey a lot more than any other Pokemon in my team around these parts. Obviously he had the advantage, but I was trying to build a better relationship with him. He was the first Pokemon I ever caught, and I kind of felt he never got the attention he deserved. Having two badges under my belt also seemed to make him a bit more open to my orders.

Unfortunately, the same could not be said for Beedrill. I love him like I do any other Pokemon on my team (save for Vulpix, but we all know why), but Beedrill just wasn't holding up against these trainers. I've always heard bug Pokemon are sort of the beginner's type, easy to work with, but never really as strong as most other types. I'd never ask Beedrill to leave my team, but I was getting more and more sure that he'd be sitting out battles in the future.

Clefairy, on the other hand, was slowly toughening up. I had to remind her that Pokemon battles were necessary in my adventure, and I'd love it if she could chip in. She might not be the strongest Pokemon in the world, but she certainly did have a few tricks up her sleeves... if she had any sleeves. Not that I figured myself a tactical trainer, but playing Clefairy's strengths in weakening her enemies with Growl and Sing really let her win fights quite easily.

As for Vulpix, she's pretty much in a league all her own. Since she's been with me the longest, it's only natural she's stronger than all my other critters. Of course, I'm also a bit sad to see her sit by me on the sidelines, watching as the other Pokemon have all the fun. It didn't matter that while she was out there she could be getting tossed around and hurt, she wanted to prove her loyalty by fighting for me. Every time I didn't send her out there, I made sure to give her a nice hug, to remind her I still loved her.

Though something strange did happen once I plowed through Nugget Bridge. There were quite a few trainers doing battle all over that place, so while I did do my best to avoid getting into fights, it wasn't something I could avoid entirely. A few of these referred to themselves as 'The Elite Five of Nugget Bridge'. At first I just thought it was a silly little group name, until I was stopped by a man at the end of the bridge.

"You just defeated the last of the Elite Five, didn't you?" He asked me out of the blue, which left me more than a bit unsettled.

"Y-Yes? I think that boy said he was," I replied. Vulpix started growling at the man, but he didn't seem to pay attention to her.

"My boss is always on the lookout for exceptional trainers," he continued in a hushed whisper for some reason, "So I have an offer to make if you're interested."

Of course, my mindset at this point is to say 'no' and walk away. I felt something off from the moment this guy approached me, but it was more of a sinister air than one of outright malice. That's just me putting words to the feelings now, long after the fact.

"What do you want?" I tried to sound as confident as possible. The man dug into his pocket and fished out a small, round ball made seemingly of gold.

"For your cooperation, my boss would like to offer this golden nugget. It's worth quite a lot of money, and all you have to do is agree to join our organization."

"Wh-What organization?" I asked, a bit taken by the lump of gold being offered. It was hard to resist something that could make me rich.

"We're a group dedicated to Pokemon. We're known all over the world, and especially here in Kanto." Though he was answering the question, he was doing so in the most cryptic manner imaginable. I might've been temporarily hooked by the nugget, but even I caught on to his shady speech.

"What's the name?"

"Oh we're known by so many names," he dodged again.

"Okay, so what are you called here?"

"Rocket."

All at once, my daze vanished. That was the name of the group that attacked me in Mt Moon. I took a step back, and Vulpix jumped between us. She started barking as loudly as she could at the man, which drew the attention of a few others on the bridge. That was almost better than picking a fight with the guy, it seemed. Once the eyes of the other trainers were on him, he started to panic.

"There's nothing to see here, folks!" He yelled out. "The girl's Pokemon is just a bit enthusiatic!"

Murmurs came from the trainers around me. I had nothing to fear at this point, but this guy had everything to fear. If his cover was blown, he'd never make it out of here. Without even giving me a chance to say anything, he took off past me. Pushing his way past trainers all over the bridge, he vanished without a trace in seconds. A speedy retreat, indeed.

"Are you okay?" The boy I had battled beforehand asked me once things had settled down. His name was Ethan.

"Yeah, great. Guy was trying to get me to join some crazy group or something," I told him.

I began to wonder, though. Just how far did Team Rocket go? Were they really worldwide like that guy had said?

~o~

After a few hours of fighting through all those trainers, I finally got to Bill's house. Or rather, Bill's mansion on the hilltop. The house was much larger than any other house I'd ever seen, and it was all alone on that hilltop. Not to mention it looked a bit haunted, especially with the sun starting to fall. To be safe, I made sure to carry Vulpix in my arms as I knocked on his door.

At first there was no answer, so I knocked again. As if proving that what you see on TV is real, the door opened on its own this time, complete with that creaky noise. I have to say I was sort of expecting that, but it didn't stop the hairs on the back of my neck from standing up. Vulpix started to growl at the darkness inside the house, but I still went inside.

The house on the outside had an old feel to it, like a hundred year-old mansion, but inside it was something completely different. All around the entrance were machines, books scattered on the floor, and half-eaten bowls of food, mostly rice. All of it looked like it was going bad, so it was probably sitting there for a few days. What kind of a nasty slob was this Bill? And why did Professor Oak call him a good friend?

This entire time, Vulpix continued to growl, but I couldn't tell why she was growling. Pokemon could sense things people couldn't, so I put her down, and let her lead me to whatever it was she was angry at. Over by one of the machines on the other side of the room, Vulpix stopped and began to bark at something behind the machine. I leaned in closer to see what it could be, when all of a sudden a Rattata jumped out at me!

It caught me off guard, so I screamed and fell back. When I opened my eyes, the Rattata was sitting right on top of my chest, looking down at me. Something was strange about this particular Rattata, though: it had a patch of brown hair on its head! I went to touch it, when the Rattata opened its mouth. First instinct was to pull my finger away, as you might recall from my first day as a trainer, but it hadn't opened its mouth to bite me.

"Hiya! I'm a Pokemon!" It barked. My heart stopped completely for a couple seconds, and I think I passed out altogether.

~o~

Next thing I could remember, I was still inside that mansion. I looked around, seeing Vulpix sitting my by side, growling at something nearby. Once she noticed I was awake, she rubbed up against me, licking my face. After pushing her away, I looked over in the direction she had been growling. That same Rattata was sitting there, looking in my direction. This time, my first instinct was to close my legs and pull down on my dress, blushing at the thought of the Rattata staring me down like that.

"Don't worry, I didn't look or see anything!"

"What are you? Pervert!" I screamed without remembering what I was talking to. I was certain I was bright red by this point.

"My name is Bill! I'm a Pokemon researcher," he said, standing on his hind legs and patting his chest.

"You're a talking Rattata," I said bluntly.

"Minor mishap, I assure you," he replied, pointing to a pair of machines in the background. "I was field testing this new invention of mine, when an actual Rattata snuck into here and flipped a switch while I was inside."

"And that turned you into one?"

"The machine isn't meant to turn people into Pokemon," he said as he climbed up onto the control panel. "It's something I've been working on to allow Pokemon to remain in storage, but not be forced inside those tight little Pokeballs. I can't imagine how terribly uncomfortable it must be in there."

The Rattata, or rather, Bill, pointed at the panel, as if asking me to press something on it. I got up off the floor and walked over to it, but keeping my distance from the small rat the entire time.

"Just press this here button, and I should be able to transform right back into my old self!"

He jumped off the panel, and ran inside the machine. I pressed the button like he asked, and instantly the machine sprang to life. The doors closed, and it began making this loud whirring noise, bright lights flashing inside. After a few seconds, the whirring stopped, the lights turned off, and a small bell rang out a couple times. The doors swung open, and out came a young man! I knew it was him right away, from the brown hair.

"Oh man! How great does it feel to be a human again!"

"You're welcome," I said, smiling. After Bill stretched a bit, he walked over to the other side of the room.

"Can I offer you something to drink or eat? If you don't mind, I'll be having a bite myself. Scraps were terrible while I was a Rattata."

"No thanks, I'm fine. How long were you a Rattata?"

"Well, miss-uh, I didn't catch your name?"

"It's Star."

"Star. I was running around this place for two days, eating nothing but what was left in those bowls on the table over there. I'm actually happy the door was closed, was afraid actual wild Pokemon would sneak in and eat me, like an Ekans." Bill shuddered at the thought. It certainly wouldn't be a nice way to die.

"So, how can I repay you for helping me, Star?" Bill started munching on some bread rolls from his fridge. They certainly looked delicious, and even Vulpix looked eager to try one.

"Well, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, could I have one of those rolls?"

"Why, certainly! One for your lovely Vulpix, as well?" I nodded, as did Vulpix. It was a sweet bread, something I hadn't tasted in a while. The cookies had run out just yesterday, but I hadn't eaten any since Route 22.

"I came by because Professor Oak asked me to. He said you'd be able to help me in my Pokemon journey." I dug in my bag and produced the letter Oak had sent.

"Ahh, how is old Oak? I haven't seen him in a few months, not since I started working on this new storage system." Bill quickly glanced over the letter.

"He's fine, I guess. I haven't actually ever spoken with him." Bill looked at me strangely.

"Then, how?"

I took the moment to explain the whole situation to him. How I left Pallet on my own, meeting up with Gary in Cerulean City, and how I got the Pokedex. That seemed to clear the whole matter up with Bill.

"I see now. So, I take it you don't even have an official Trainer Card, right?" I shook my head, not even knowing I needed some form of ID to be a Pokemon trainer.

"Let me explain now!"

Apparently, I had been breaking all sorts of rules right from the moment I chose to leave Pallet on my own. While training Pokemon didn't require any paperwork, to join the Pokemon League challenge, and go around collecting gym badges for the challenge, I needed to be officially registered in the League. For that, I needed a trainer card and ID number. Since I was already all the way out in Cerulean City, Professor Oak sent me to Bill to have all this paperwork filled out and put in order, rather than force me back to Pallet Town.

Bill was an official in the Pokemon League himself, and it was in his power to issue trainer cards. After a quick photo, which ended with Vulpix showing up in the bottom right corner after jumping up into the camera, Bill printed out my card. My ID number was assigned and registered with the League, and I was now officially Pokemon Trainer Star, ID#74656.

"Wow," I said, looking down at my card, "I didn't know there was so much stuff to do."

"It makes it a lot easier for the League to monitor trainers trying to enter Victory Road and Indigo Plateau. Every time a gym leader hands out a badge, they have to report it to the League, and this way they can make sure someone isn't making fake badges to sneak in. The other thing is to sign you up for the Pokemon Storage System!"

The League was full of rules, including rules on how many Pokemon could be at your side at any time. Built into every Pokeball was a special chip that tagged the Pokemon caught with a trainer's ID number, and all of this information was sent to the League every time you took the Pokemon to a center for healing. Since only six Pokemon could be carried at any time, catching any more after that would force the trainer to send one of their critters to the Pokemon Storage System, or PSS, to be safely stored until they were needed again. This very same system was the work of Bill, who finally made it possible to limit all trainers world wide to six Pokemon.

So I had to ask: what if you weren't registered with the League, and didn't sign up for the PSS, what would happen if I caught seven critters? Bill explained that every Pokeball, regardless of being signed up for the system or not, teleported to the storage facility. Pokemon were naturally wild animals by nature, so unless caught in a Pokeball, they would be virtually untamable. So it was all a perfect plan: you can't be a trainer of any kind without Pokeballs, and you couldn't carry more than six critters unless you used Pokeballs. The League was certainly quite smart with that plan.

"You see, Star, before the modern Pokeball, trainers used something very similar, but they lacked the technology to domesticate Pokemon on the spot. A trainer back then could catch a Pokemon, but taming them would take weeks, months to accomplish. Professor Oak is one of the oldest Pokemon trainers today, so he knows all about the hardships of training the old way. Way he sees it, we're all just a bunch of spoiled kids playing a game."

"I see." I looked down at the spare Pokeballs in my bag, finally appreciating all the power those things had inside.

"Well, Star, that about sets you up! You're free to continue your adventure now!" Bill looked outside a window, seeing that it was dark already. I didn't even have to ask.

"You're welcome to stay the night here, though."

"Thanks, Bill."

~o~

That night, I woke up when I heard some kind of sad moaning coming from outside the mansion. My room had a balcony of its own, so I didn't have to go wandering through the dark to satisfy my curiousity. Vulpix was sound asleep, so I chose not to bother her, either.

The night air was warm, which felt great. The scent of the sea was also welcome. Pallet Town was a seaside town, so that scent was a familiar one. I'd often spend nights by my window, which faced the ocean and Route 21, just taking in the air that rolled in from the sea.

But tonight, there was something out there. I could hear something out at sea, like it was crying. It reminded me of the whimper Vulpix would make when she was hungry and I hadn't fed her anything yet. But what kind of Pokemon would make such a sound from out at sea? And just how close... or how large, would it have to be for the sound to echo the way it was?

"You heard it, too?" Came Bill's voice. It caught me off-guard, so I thought he had let himself into my room without me noticing. He was talking to me from his own balcony next door.

"What is it?" I asked after calming down a bit. My arms covered what they could of my torso, a vain attempt to conceal my nightgown from Bill. Though it was a bit too dark for him to see me.

"A Pokemon. An extremely rare Pokemon, I think."

"What kind of Pokemon?" I asked. He didn't exactly sound too sure of himself.

"I don't know, Star. Something tells me it's one-of-a-kind. I've been hearing it for the longest time, but it never seems to get close enough for me to see it. And it only comes by in the dead of night."

When I perked my ears up again, I noticed the sad moaning was getting faint. Whatever it was, it was moving away from the mansion now. I heard Bill sigh from his balcony.

"Guess tonight it won't be coming by here. Do you need anything, Star?"

"No, not really," I answered. I was a bit disappointed, myself.

"Then I'll wish you a good night. Don't be afraid to call on me if you need anything."

With that, Bill went back into his room. I stayed out on the balcony a while longer, taking in the breeze and listening intently as the mysterious Pokemon continued to distance itself from the mansion.

~o~

The next morning, Bill even gave me one more reward for helping him, something that would prove amazingly useful soon.

"These are train tickets," he said, handing me a pair. "I know that Saffron City is closed off, so this should help you get to where you're going."

"How?" I asked.

"In Cerulean, there's a station that leads all the way to Vermillion City. From there, you can take Route 11 to 12, and north to Lavender Town. Then, just take the train in Lavender to Celadon City! There are gyms in each of those cities save Lavender, so you can keep moving. If Saffron opens up before, you can save the ticket, or sell it, whatever you need!"

"Wow, thanks, Bill! You don't know how much this helps me!"

"I'm pretty sure I do. I once had the same adventure you did, before I got into this line of work. Now, you'd best be off! The train from Cerulean leaves at noon, so you wouldn't want to miss it and lose a whole day!"

I said farewell to Bill, and with Vulpix in my arms started back down the hill towards Route 25. Everyone else probably took the long way around, through the Rock Tunnel mountain towards Lavender. Thanks to my early blunder, I had managed to jump ahead of everyone else!


	8. Trains, Bikes & Thunder

Trains, Bikes & Thunder, Chapter 8

It took quite a bit of running, not to mention ignoring quite a few trainers that wanted rematches, but I made it back to Cerulean City just in time to catch the train. In a different world, it would cost me to carry Vulpix on the train, but here Pokemon were as welcome as humans; granting they were inside their Pokeballs. Since I never forced Vulpix into one, I had to beg the conductor to let her stay out, which I accomplished with a bit of begging and puppy dog eyes. Since there were no train tracks anywhere in the city, my guess was the train traveled underground, which proved to be the case.

Of course, this meant there wasn't much of a view along the way, and since Vulpix wasn't exactly much for chit chat, I guessed it would be a dull trip. That is, until I ran across a familiar face on the train. After switching seats with someone nearby, I got a seat in front of David.

"Star! What a surprise to see you again so soon!"

"Same here," I said, looking around for Rebecca. "Where's Rebecca?"

"No idea. She left in a bit of a huff after that Gary Oak fellow carried you away." David shut the book he was reading.

"Oh, I wonder why?"

"I have a bit of a clue, but that's between myself and I. So, headed to Vermillion City?" I nodded.

"Yeah, I got my badge from the gym in Cerulean, and then paid a visit to Bill on Route 25. He let me have a ticket to this train."

"Lucky you. I was going to pay a visit to Saffron City myself, but they aren't letting anyone in, not even people who live there!"

"So you're from Saffron?" I asked, now eager to learn more about David. "What were you doing on the other side of Mt Moon?"

"A little personal project of my own," he replied, bringing his finger to his lips. "For now, I'm afraid I won't say anything else."

"Aww! Come on, it's just me you're talking to!" He shook his head.

"You, and Vulpix there. I can't be certain she'll go blathering to everyone she meets." I looked at Vulpix, who looked right back at me.

"Vulpix never even said a word to me, why would she go telling people about your secret?" Truth be told, I was actually a bit confused at that moment. David's joke went completely over my head, so he dropped it and switched the topic of conversation.

"Well, since you're out collecting gym badges, I trust you're prepared for Vermillion City's challenge? I hear the leader there is quite the opponent."

"With Vulpix at my side," I said, patting her on the head, "we can beat anyone that challenges us!"

"I'd rethink my strategy if I were you. The gym leader there specializes in electric type Pokemon. They're quite dangerous, or so I hear."

I thought about that for a little bit. Other than Mankey, I had no one on my team that stood a chance against an electric Pokemon. A rock or ground type would really give me the advantage, despite Mankey being a fighting type. He could still get hurt badly by thunder. A lightbulb went off in my head.

"You have your Diglett, right?"

"Uh, yes, I do. Why?"

"How about we trade Pokemon? I'll give you one of mine for Diglett! With a ground type on my side, I can beat the gym leader easy!"

"Well," said David, considering the idea, "that's certainly one way to go about it all. But you can't always expect someone in the area with the Pokemon you need to trade it on a whim like that, Star."

"So, you're saying you don't want to trade?"

"I'm saying it'd be better for you to come up with your own way of beating the challenge. There's more to Pokemon battles than type advantages, you know."

David had a point. After all, I had beaten Brock's Onix with Beedrill, and such a match would normally end with Onix on top. Perhaps a clever play, like having Vulpix or Clefairy wear down the leader's Pokemon, then have Mankey finish the battle, would be best. I shared this idea with David.

"Well, you can certainly try it," he said, but not sounding convinced for some reason. "I'd wait until you get to Vermillion before planning anything."

The rest of the train ride was a bit boring. David kept tapping his book the entire time, telling me without actually saying anything that he'd like to keep reading. I sat down in my chair, looking at Vulpix the entire time. Sometimes I wish I could talk to Pokemon. I once read a comic book where a little girl could do just that. I wished I had a copy of it to read on that train.

~o~

When the train pulled in, David went a different way, but not before pointing out the direction of the gym. It was obviously not his first visit to the city, but he still didn't say anything about why he was there. I saw him walking in the direction of Route 11, so maybe there was a chance I'd see him again on the road. Vulpix in my arms, I started walking down the street. It was at this moment, that something beyond weird happened.

I passed by a Bicycle Shop, when all of a sudden, this guy flew out of the store, and stood in my way. Confused, I asked him to please move, as I had to be on my way to the gym. He replied with something that instantly put me on guard.

"Please, come inside my store," he said. I took a step back.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

"Please, little girl, I need your help!" He got down on one knee, bringing him to my eye level. I took another step back.

"I'm not going inside that store," I said. Who knows what kind of pervert this guy could be.

"Please," he said again, this time dropping on his knees completely, "I need your help!"

"What do you want?" By now, not only was I seriously getting creeped out, there was a bit of a crowd gathering nearby. The guy took notice, and changed his line.

"You've just won the gift of a lifetime!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, making sure everyone heard him. "Your very own, brand new, bicycle!"

A few people nearby clapped, while most others snickered. Something was fishy, but with so many people around, I didn't think anything bad could happen. Plus, I had Vulpix in my arms, and she'd have been growling if there was anything dangerous about this guy.

"I don't need a bike," I said, more to see his reaction than anything.

"Why, sure you do! Every kid wants their own bike!" The look of desperation on his face was growing.

"Not really, I don't. I'm just trying to find the local Pokemon gym." My responses were clearly starting to get on the guy's nerves. The crowd started to break up, too, so I was about to make my way around him when he once again stopped me.

"Please, little girl," he said, this time almost on the verge of tears. "Just please, hear me out at the very least."

For the record, I don't think I'd ever seen a boy cry. I'm sure I've never seen a grown man cry. This was certainly something to witness, and if he could stand to cry in public like that, I guessed he was seriously in trouble. I figured there was no harm in at least hearing him out, so I agreed and followed him into the bike store. There was a giant glass window, so if anything happened, people from outside could see. And just to be safe, I stayed by the window the entire time.

The man went to the back of the shop, and came back with a bike. It was an ugly shade of pink, but being a girl I guess I kind of expected a pink bike to be shown to me. No doubt that was his reasoning. I looked at the thing for a while, but it didn't get any prettier. I finally asked him what the big deal was.

"Let me explain: I inherited this shop from my dad. Back in his day, kids used to ride bikes everywhere, and when Pokemon training blew up like it did, you'd think the bike industry would be the business to be in, right?"

"Umm... I guess?" He seemed to forget he was talking to a kid, and I wasn't quite following him entirely.

"Exactly," he continued, "When you're a Pokemon trainer, you're always on the move. So what better way to do that, than with your very own bike! Sadly, a few problems came up with the plan..."

"Problems? Like?"

"A bike is nice, and it gets you places faster, but sometimes the bike just isn't a good choice. Inside caves it can be dangerous, and carrying the thing around isn't the most fun thing to do in the world. You wouldn't leave it behind, either, right?"

"I guess not...," I said, trying to figure out where he was going with all this.

"So, I came up with the solution! Introducing: the Foldable Bike!"

Before my very eyes, I watched as the guy went snapping the bike into smaller and smaller sizes. Like taking apart a pen or something, but all the pieces stuck together somehow, until it was all finally a small box on the ground. Being a child's bike, it was much smaller in size than a normal bike, but even then, it was quite amazing to see. I even gave him a bit of applause for the show.

"See? Isn't that just the best? Use it when you can, store it and wear it on your back when you can't! It's also extremely lightweight, too!" He gave me the box with the bike inside, and he had a point. It didn't weigh more than a backpack filled with textbooks!

"This is so cool!" I said. "Everyone would want one!"

"My thoughts exactly! However..." He trailed off, looking out the window for a second. I looked outside, too, seeing a couple people passing by, all of them laughing at what they were seeing inside.

"Why are they laughing?" I asked.

"I invented this bike myself, even built it here."

"Wow! That's so cool!"

"They don't think so," he said, sitting down on the counter. "They think my bikes are cheaply made, and since they've never been proven out there in the real world, no one wants to buy them."

"Oh, I see. Why not show everyone that they really work?"

"I tried, once. I had a local kid ride it around town, then fold it up and take it home. I never saw the bike again, or the kid. You'd think that would sell the bike, but no one came."

"Okay, so why are you giving me one?"

"When I was sitting here, and I saw you pass by with that Vulpix in your arms, it just hit me like a ton of bricks! It wasn't selling, because I was trying to sell it to the wrong customers! This bike was made for Pokemon Trainers, so I have to sell it to Pokemon Trainers!"

"I don't get it," I replied. I honestly didn't; I mean, I get the idea of selling it to trainers, but if it was just that easy, why not go around selling it to actual trainers? Why was he just sitting here?

"Trainers don't stop by towns for very long. They're here, they visit the local gym, pick up supplies, then move on. Rather than get them one at a time, I had to reach them all at once! That's where you come in!" I nodded, but I still wasn't sure what he wanted me to do.

"I'll let you have a bike," he said, offering me the ugly pink thing in the box, "You promise to ride it around, show it off even to other trainers. They ask where you got such a neat bike, and then you tell them 'At the Vermillion City Bicycle Shop!' It's the perfect plan!"

"Okay," I said, "but why me?"

"Cuteness factor!" I took another step away from the guy, once again feeling that scary vibe.

"Cuteness?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you're adorable!" How could I not take that the wrong way. A grown stranger was telling me I was adorable, and that just sounded creepy.

"What I'm trying to say is, with you promoting the bike around the region, I'm sure to get more customers! People love cute things, and what's cuter than a little girl Pokemon trainer, riding around in a foldable bike, with her Vulpix in the basket? I'd make a fortune!"

Sure, it sounded great, but would it work? He still needed me to ride the ugly thing around, and I still wasn't sold. At this point, I turned towards the door. He noticed, and got down on all fours again.

"Please! Don't go! I need your help!"

"Why can't you get someone else to help you?" I asked.

"I've tried, believe me, I have. No one wants to, and I'm at the end of my rope here! If I don't start selling bikes soon, I'll be left without a house, job, or food! I'm already buying Pokechow by the pound to stay fed! I can't spare any more time! Please! You're my last chance!"

The Pokechow bit turned out to be true, as there was a bag of the stuff in the back room where he brought the bike from. He stayed on all fours for a while, almost not breathing, waiting for my answer. And at that point, how could I refuse? I'm a big softie, and this poor guy was only trying to make some money to eat. I walked over to him, and patted him on the head.

"It's okay," I said softly. "Don't cry. I'll help y-"

"THANK YOU!" Before I could even finish, he sprung up and took me with him, hugging me until I nearly passed out. When he finally put me down, he handed me the box with the pink bike, but I didn't take it.

"Do you have some other color? I don't like pink."

"Of course," he said, reaching behind his counter for a sheet of paper. "Pick any of these colors you want! Another marketing idea: all the colors of the rainbow for your bike!"

The paper must've had over a hundred different colored squares, but I didn't bother to count them. I glanced over the paper, until I found a shade of yellow I liked. Yellow's my favorite color, you see.

"This one," I pointed to the square.

"Just give me a second, okay? All my bikes are white, any special colors have to be added in when ordered!"

A second turned out to be a half hour, but finally he rolled in a freshly painted yellow bike! This was a ride I could love, complete with front basket for Vulpix to ride in. I couldn't take it with me right now, the paint still being wet and all, I told him I'd be back as soon as I visited the local gym. He got back down on his knees and begged me to return, to not leave him behind like so many other trainers he'd asked in the past.

"I promise I'll be back," I assured him, giving him another pat on the head. "The bike is yellow! How could I not come back for it?"

~o~

The gym turned out to be just down the street from the bike shop. There was a large thunderbolt icon painted on the front, proving David was right. This would be the hardest gym battle yet. After taking a few deep breaths, I walked in through the door.

Like Brock's gym, it was just a massive arena, only this time with nothing on the ground. At the other end was the leader. Once he saw that I had entered, he stood from his chair and walked across the arena to meet me. The closer he got, the larger he got, as well. By the time we were face to face, it was more face to stomach. He was probably more than twice my size.

"Welcome," he said, his gruff voice echoing in the gym, "to the Vermillion City gym! I'm Surge, the leader."

"H-Hello," I said, trying to raise my voice a little to sound bigger than I was. "I'm here to challenge you for a badge."

"Well, cutie, I just want you to know: in this gym, I don't go easy on little girls," he said, patting ME on the head.

"I know, I wasn't expecting any special treatment."

"Well, good thing, then!" He turned around and started back towards his end of the arena. Along the way, he released his first Pokemon, a Raichu. He looked pretty angry, kind of like his master.

"Okay, little baby," he called out to me. "The rule is one on one, winner takes badge. Will that little fox be your choice?"

I looked down at Vulpix. She was ready to face off against Raichu, but would I send her? The plan was ruined already, so I had to think up a new one. Mankey was still the best option, but I wasn't sure he could take on Raichu all on his own. If he was half as strong as he looked, Mankey would be in serious trouble. Still, I went for his Pokeball.

"I ain't got all day, kid," Surge called out. "Pick your Pokemon, or get out of my gym while you still can! No need to make a baby cry, I always say."

I released Mankey, and sent him out on the arena. Once Surge saw who my choice was, he burst out into a hearty laughter. I have to admit, with every chuckle, I felt smaller and smaller still.

"That's your choice? Well, I guess I can see why, trying to one up Raichu with type advantage. Last chance, kid, are you still up to this?"

The thought of running away for the moment crossed my mind. Still, I hadn't quit on a fight just yet, and I wasn't about to let some overgrown bully scare me off. I asked Mankey to come back to my side for a moment, where I gave him a hug and a pat on the back. This battle rested entirely on him.

"Well, your choice, kid. Battle goes until either side falls or backs out. Ladies first, I always say." With a snap of his fingers, the battle officially began.

"Mankey, Low Kick!"

Mankey ran in for the attack, but Raichu didn't make a move. Surge chuckled from the other side of the arena.

"Thundershock!"

Before Mankey's attack could connect, Raichu's thunder struck Mankey, stopping him in his tracks. Smoke rising from Mankey's fur, I feared he was already out of energy. He stumbled for a moment, but shook it off before letting out an angry howl.

"Try Karate Chop!"

"Thunder Wave, Raichu!"

Again, before Mankey could get close enough to attack, Raichu's attack struck first. The electrical waves pushed him back, and Mankey was finding it hard to move now. The battle wasn't going so well.

"Snap out of it, Mankey! Use Karate Chop!"

Mankey tried to follow my order, but his body just wasn't moving, too paralyzed to even lift a his arm. Surge let out another bout of laughs.

"Care for a towel, baby? You can throw it in if you'd like." His taunting was proving more annoying than actually losing the fight.

"Keep trying, Mankey! Karate Chop!" No matter how many times I called it out, Mankey just couldn't move.

"Your loss, kid. Raichu, show the baby and her weak excuse for a Pokemon out the front door."

Raichu walked up to Mankey, laughing like his master as he wrapped Mankey up in his tail before lifting him off the ground. Raichu walked up to me, dangling Mankey before me like a plush animal. And in front of my face, Raichu charged up an electric attack, before releasing it through his tail and into Mankey. I could hardly stand watching Mankey cry out, let alone hear him. When the attack was over, I looked at Mankey, now dangling limp in Raichu's tail.

The Pokemon spun around, sending Mankey flying out the front door of the gym, and out onto the street. I just stood there, my head looking down at the ground. Droplets fell from my face and onto the floor. The only sound at that moment was of Surge having a roaring good time.

"Aww, did I make the poor baby cry?" He called out from his end of the arena, before following up with more taunting coos and awws. "I gave you the chance to run, you didn't take it. Come back when you grow out of your diapers, kid!"

~o~

I rushed Mankey to the Pokemon center, where Nurse Joy quickly took him into the emergency room. Vulpix was just as down as I was, but I doubted she felt the same way I did. As it turned out, I wasn't the only trainer who had been pounded by Surge. A few other would-be trainers sat around in the center, all awaiting Nurse Joy's report. If they lived here in Vermillion, it must've been quite the downer to be shot down by the local gym so easily. One had to wonder, if Surge was this tough, would every other gym be as tough? Tougher, still? Thinking like that would scare off trainers from taking the League challenge.

I wasn't from Vermillion, though. I was from Pallet Town, a small town on the edge of the map. Mom was there waiting for me, and I was sure she wouldn't want me to go back a failure. Surge was no different than any other Pokemon trainer: he had his strengths, but he also had a weakness. I replayed that terrible battle in my head, trying to remember every detail.

The entire fight, Mankey was always the first to make a move. And every time, Surge would order Raichu to do something from a distance. Mankey could try forever to get closer, but Raichu would only just keep him away with Thundershock or paralyze him with Thunder Wave. There had to be a way to get around that. I thought some more on Raichu, when I realized it didn't move from its one spot on the field. It just stood there, waiting for blows to come in. It only moved when it knew Mankey couldn't fight back. And when it did, it didn't even run towards Mankey, just walk towards him. I reached for my encyclopedia.

The page on Raichu said it was an evolved form of Pikachu, another cute critter with many fangirls. Unlike most Pokemon, however, it could only evolve with a Thunder Stone, a special type of rock. Pikachus were fast Pokemon, but that Raichu didn't move very quickly. A Raichu is only as fast as the Pikachu that came before him. I had my opening.

Though Nurse Joy recommended Mankey stay the night, just to be rested, I asked that he be returned as soon as he was healed up. I knew she only meant the best for Mankey, but I knew Mankey better. He'd want a rematch against Surge. And I was going to give it to him.

~o~

I burst through the doors of the gym again, Mankey and Vulpix at either side. The sun was going down, and from what I could tell, Surge was preparing to leave for the day. Once he saw who it was, he dropped his things.

"Well, well! Look who's back so soon! I didn't think I'd see your face around here again."

"I've come for a rematch, Surge." Mankey stepped forward after I said that, pounding his chest. Surge let out another one of his annoying cackles.

"If you want to see your Pokemon rushed back to the emergency room that bad, I'll have to oblige, kid."

He released his Raichu from its Pokeball, the Pokemon looking well-rested and ready for another fight. Mankey took his place on the arena, and Raichu did the same.

"The rules haven't changed, kid. One on one. Ladies first."

"No, you go first." For the first time, Surge was caught off-guard. Still, it didn't faze him much.

"Your funeral, kid. Raichu, Thunder Wave!"

"Mankey, dodge it!"

Raichu let out a wave of yellow rings, but Mankey just took a step to the left to avoid it entirely. Surge snickered, but didn't give it much thought.

"Raichu, Thundershock!"

"Again, Mankey!"

Raichu reeled up for a blast of thunder, but once again, Mankey just took a step to the side and avoided it completely. Surge said or did nothing.

"Again, Raichu!"

"Mankey!"

Again, Raichu shot forth thunder, and again, Mankey sidestepped it. This kept going for a few more times, each time ticking off Surge more and more. What he hadn't noticed yet was Mankey's position. With every dodge, Mankey inched closer and closer to Raichu.

"Raichu, end this already! Thunderbolt!"

"Now, Mankey!"

Raichu had been tiring little by little all this time, wasting energy on attacks for no reason. As it charged up for the next attack, Mankey rushed in for the attack. With a smaller distance between him and Raichu, Mankey finally delivered the kick to Raichu's stomach. The Pokemon went flying in the other direction.

"Karate Chop, now!"

"Raichu, Thundershock!"

Before Raichu could even recover from the kick, Mankey went in for the next blow, breaking the Pokemon's concentration and stopping the attack again. Surge's face grew more and more worried.

"Don't let up, Mankey!"

"Raichu! Do something!"

No matter how many times Surge called out, Raichu was just moving too slow to beat Mankey's attacks. Having fought trainers for so long by just sitting put, the Raichu just couldn't keep up with the attacks. With a few more kicks and chops, Raichu finally fell over, totally exhausted. The battle was mine!

~o~

"I have to say, I didn't expect you'd come up with such a great battle plan so quickly, kid." Surge scratched the back of his neck for a moment, unsure of his words. "I mean, what's your name?"

"Star," I said, smiling at him.

"Star, you've rightfully earned this here Thunderbadge." Surge handed over the small trinket, and it shined in the dim light of the gym.

"Thanks, Surge."

"Guess you proved me wrong, huh?"

"Wrong about what?" I asked, unsure what he was talking about.

"You sure ain't no baby!" I only gave him another smile. There really was nothing else to say about that.

As I was on my way out of the gym, I ran face to face with the guy from the bike shop. Apparently he thought I had forgotten about my promise. After calmly explaining the situation, he apologized, and handed me the box with my bike inside. The very next day, I'd be trying this baby out on Route 11!


	9. The Ghost of Marowak

The Ghost of Marowak, Chapter 9

Vermillion City was quite something at sunset, but at sunrise it was definitely something else. With all the drama at the gym the day before, I hadn't taken the time to look out at the ocean. The Pokemon Center, my home away from home, was sitting right on the docks, and the main entrance looked out towards the ocean. Even Vulpix was excited to see so much water, despite knowing it was her mortal enemy. But more of a sight was the massive ship pulling into the dock.

A large, white cruise ship, bigger than any ship I had ever seen in my life. On the deck were hundreds of people, all cheering and waving to the crowds on the dock. Written on the side of the ship was the name 'Anne'. I sat down by the Pokemon Center for a while, with Vulpix in my arms, watching as the ship docked, opened its doors, and let out hundreds of people from inside. Even if I were to win every single Pokemon battle in the world and save every penny, I probably could never afford a ticket on that ship.

After daydreaming of the luxuries onboard, I put Vulpix down and told her we'd be on our way. After building my bike, which drew plenty of attention from people getting off the S.S. Anne, I put Vulpix in her basket and took off. I heard people behind me admiring the bike, so I'm pretty sure the bike shop guy would be happy.

Route 11 wasn't a long stretch of road, and it was mostly overgrown with grass. I knew cutting through the grass would probably get me into a number of battles with wild Pokemon, but I honestly didn't feel like challenging trainers to fights. Much like any other road I'd been on, it was flooded with noise from trainers doing battle. From the tall grass, I watched a few.

A kid and his Raticate fighting an old guy and his Drowzee; a girl's Jigglypuff versus another kid's Zubat. I didn't want to get into any more battles, but at the same time, I wanted to show off Vulpix and my other critters. Eventually, I caved and challenged a girl trainer near Route 12. To my surprise, it was another familiar face.

"Rebecca, is that you?" I called out to the girl. She looked in my direction for a moment, then let out a painfully audible huff.

"Hello, Star. Didn't expect to see you here, not after you left with Gary Oak after Mt Moon." Rebecca stuck her nose out at me, passing me by and ignoring my challenge.

"He was just trying to help," I said, backing up on the bike to stay face to face.

"I'm sure he was also just trying to help when he bought you that nice new bike." David had been right, she was still a bit angry about Gary. Could she have a crush on him?

"Actually, this bike was a gift from the bike shop in Vermillion City," I corrected her. "I haven't seen Gary since Cerulean City."

"If you say so. Now, if you don't mind, Star, I have to be going." She looked like she had no intention of stopping, so I turned around on my bike and sped past her. This time, I blocked her path entirely.

"Rebecca, I challenge you to a Pokemon battle." This was something she wouldn't back out of, especially with the sore feelings she had pent up. She reached for a Pokeball.

"Fine, Star. Your challenge, your rules." The hostility radiating from her was almost painful.

"Two on two, no shift. Ready?"

Without even saying another word, she released her first Pokemon, Weepinbell. This would be an easy battle, I guessed. For the first time in a while, I sent out Vulpix.

"Weepinbell, Stun Spore!"

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

Rebecca must've known Weepinbell was a bad choice for a first Pokemon, so I didn't understand why she picked him. What's more, wasting time trying to slow Vulpix, when a single attack from her could end the battle. She was so angry at something, or at me, that she wasn't thinking straight. As expected, Weepinbell couldn't even get his Stun Spore attack out before Vulpix blasted him with flames. In one attack, Weepinbell was down. Rebecca called him back, reaching for another Pokeball.

"Are you even trying, Rebecca?" I asked, since she didn't seem to put much thought into the next ball she picked from her belt. Out came her second Pokemon, a Doduo.

"Doduo, Quick Attack!"

"Vulpix, Ember!"

I knew Doduo would probably stop Vulpix's attack, but I wanted the fires to get out into the air beforehand. She managed to spin around in place just fast enough to release a few, but Doduo came out of no where, tackling her into the ground. Fortunately, the fires landed on Doduo after his attack. The poor Pokemon was burned on the spot.

"Doduo, Peck!"

"Vulpix, Growl!"

Doduo rushed in for the attack, but Vulpix slowed him down a bit with her powerful, if adorable, roar. Doduo's peck still managed to hurt Vulpix, but not as much as it would have. The burns on Doduo's feathers must've been hurting it a lot, so I decided to end the battle quickly, for Doduo's sake.

"Vulpix, Tackle!"

Before Rebecca could order another attack, Vulpix crashed into the tired Doduo, knocking it to the ground for good. The battle was over.

Rebecca called back her Pokemon. She reached into her bag, and pulled out some money. I was about to tell her to keep it, but she shoved it into the basket of my bike. Without saying another word, she stormed off. I didn't get a good look at her face, but I think her eyes were watering up. I wouldn't see her again for a long, long time.

~o~

Route 12 certainly had its fair share of sights. Most of the route was actually a boardwalk, a bunch of bridges built over the ocean. Some of the road was actual land, but was on the other side of the boardwalk. It's a good thing, actually, since there was this giant, fat Pokemon sleeping on the side of the road. The Pokedex said it was a Snorlax, but I couldn't tell from where I was standing. The thought of waking it up to try and catch it crossed my mind, but when the Pokedex mentioned it ate huge amounts of food when it was awake, I decided against it. I didn't want to end up as its morning snack.

There were a few trainers sitting on the boardwalk, but none of them were interested in battling, for once. Most were fishermen, sitting on the edge by the water with their fishing rods in hand. Water Pokemon were the largest type group in the world, so most of the time a trainer would have one on their team. Since I didn't I figured now was as good a time as any to fish one out.

Of course, I didn't have a fishing rod, so I'd have to borrow one from one of the guys on the boardwalk. I looked around at a few of them, most dressed in the same way, with their red life jackets and caps. Was that the official get up for fishermen or something? Anyway, after a little while of looking around, I found one guy who was looking sadder than usual. Beside him was a bucket of bait, almost completely full.

"Excuse me," I said, pulling up next to him, "Can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"Not having a good day fishing?" I asked with a smile.

"Why do you care?" Oh yeah, definitely not a good day.

"Um, I just wanted to ask," I said as I got off my bike. "If I could borrow your rod?"

"Feel like picking up a Magikarp for your team?"

"Not really, I'd like a different Pokemon." It didn't occur to me that it wouldn't exactly be up to me what bit the rod when the time came. Perhaps that silly slip-up is what warmed the fisherman up to me.

"Well, let me tell you, girl, when you're fishing, it's all about luck. Either you get nothing, like me, or you pick out a Magikarp. And let me tell you, they aren't the most useful fish on the team." The man offered me a seat by him, moving the bait can over. I took a seat by him, Vulpix sitting on his other side.

"But, there is a chance I pull out something else, right?" I knew all too well about Magikarp, and how lame a Pokemon they were.

"Oh sure," he said, pulling out a list from his jacket pocket. "Around here, you could pull out Horsea, Krabby, Goldeen, maybe even a Shellder, if you're really lucky."

"Anything else?"

"I've heard stories that sometime herds of rarer Pokemon come around here, like a Seel, or maybe even Dratini. But of course, that's almost a once in a lifetime pull."

He pulled up his rod, the bait on the end of the line all wet and soggy. No Pokemon would find that tasty at all. He dug around in the can for some fresh bait, pulling out a rather juicy looking piece. After he hooked it, he handed me the rod.

"By the way, I'm George."

"I'm Star. So, I just throw in the line, and wait?"

"That's the gist of it," George said, making sure I held onto the rod correctly. "And make sure you never let go of the rod."

"Just a question," I asked, "how much is this rod worth? Just in case I do lose it?"

"Let's worry about that later." He chuckled.

I would've preferred worrying about it now. I wanted a new Pokemon, and a water Pokemon, but fishing proved to be one of the most boring things I've ever done in my life. It was almost an hour of sitting there, staring at shadows in the water. George wasn't much for chat, and Vulpix just curled up next to me for a nap after a while. She deserved it, of course, but it still felt like a betrayal. If I was bored, she should be bored, too.

Well, after an hour of sitting there, I pulled up the line. The bait had been ruined by the water, so George removed it for a fresh piece. Before he reached into the can, I asked if I could pick it out this time. It was all very slimy, but I knew that I wouldn't be able to catch a Pokemon unless I put the full effort into every step of the process. Call it a silly, childish belief, if you will. After a moment of digging around in the can, I picked a smaller piece of bait. It certainly didn't look half as tasty as most of the other pieces. Still, I had a good feeling.

George was about to take it and hook it for me, but once again I asked to do it myself. He made mention of how poorly a job I did, and that if a Pokemon didn't bite in five minutes, it'd probably fall right off the hook. I told him it was okay, that I had a good feeling about it all. And of course, I wouldn't be saying all this unless this was the moment when I'd actually get around to catching a Pokemon!

Two minutes later, I felt a tug on the rod. I stood up and started pulling on the rod. George started to panic and tell me I was doing it wrong, to reel in the Pokemon instead of trying to yank the line out of the water. I tried my best to do as he said, but if I let go of the rod with one hand, it would probably fly out of my hands. Whatever I had caught was fighting back hard. After a few seconds of struggling with the rod, George stepped in to help, coming around behind me and helping me reel in the Pokemon. It was at that moment that the Pokemon pulled back much harder than either one of us anticipated.

I didn't let go of the rod, obviously. I didn't want to pay for it, and it was a sort of instinctive reaction to the whole situation. So instead, the Pokemon pulled ME into the water. George tried to grab hold of my ankles, and instead just fell back on the boardwalk with my shoes in his hands. I was tempted to let go of the rod when I hit the water, since it was surprisingly cold, but I just held on tighter still. I was never able to open my eyes underwater, so I just prayed as I was dragged along underwater that the Pokemon wouldn't end up being a Gyrados and eat me whole. After a few seconds, I felt myself slow down.

I was running out of breath, so I started kicking my legs around, trying to force my body back to the surface. Yet I didn't let go of the rod. Whether or not the Pokemon got away, I wasn't going to be paying for that thing. I ended up letting go of the rod with one hand so I could reach the surface faster. After taking a number of deep breaths on top, I took a look around. Whatever the Pokemon was, it had led me all the way to the north end of Route 12, right outside Lavender Town. Of all the luck!

I pulled on the rod, trying to find out what happened to line. As if I wasn't lucky enough already, on the other end of the line was a Dratini, exhausted from dragging me along the ocean. It was much closer to the ground near Lavender, so I assumed he had been struggling so much to break free that he didn't see the wall ahead and crashed head first into it. I climbed out of the water as quickly as possible, since I didn't know how to swim. Thankfully, Dratini hadn't left me out in the middle of the ocean or something, otherwise who knows what would've happened. I made sure to bring along the knocked out Dratini, as well as the fishing rod.

Coming up from Route 12 was George and Vulpix on my bike. I was amazed the small thing could actually hold him, but I guess that just further proved the bike shop guy's ability to make bikes.

"Wow! You're alright!"

"Yeah," I said, shivering a bit. "I'm okay. Pass me a Pokeball there, would you?"

George dug around inside my bag, eventually coming across an empty Pokeball. With it in hand, I walked over to the Dratini on the ground, and tapped it with the ball. The Pokemon was sucked into the ball, and captured in seconds. Afterwards, I handed George his rod back.

"I'm sorry about that," I said, though not really sure why I was apologizing.

"Don't be, I'm not only amazed you held onto the rod, but survived that wild ride! And to catch a Dratini, too? You must be the luckiest girl in the world!"

"I try," I said, rubbing my arms to try and warm up. "Thanks again for the rod."

"Here, let me help!" George pulled a small towel out of his own bag, throwing it over my shoulders. It wasn't helping much, but at least most of the breeze wasn't hitting my chest anymore. Mom always said that's what got you sick.

"If you want I can walk you into town."

"It's okay, George. I think you should head back to the boardwalk," I said, walking into town. "Maybe my luck rubbed off on that rod of yours."

~o~

As always, Nurse Joy was more than willing to help not only my Pokemon, but me as well. And yes, I know each Joy is actually a different person, but for some reason they're always so friendly, and I can't help but forget they aren't the same. Either way, the Pokemon Center proved to be much more than a center for just Pokemon, as I was able to take a shower and dry off all inside a private room in the building. Sometimes I'd feel bad, going the cheap route and not staying at hotels on my travels, but this was just so much more comfortable!

Once I was downstairs, my Pokemon were ready to go. Since Lavender Town didn't have any gym to visit, I figured I'd just keep moving, and take the train to Celadon City before it got dark. Sadly, that plan was ruined. Once I arrived at the station, it was closed already, the next train leaving at nine the next morning. Stuck in Lavender for the night, I made my way back to the center. It was then that I noticed the unusually tall tower on the other end of town. Ever curious, I walked to the entrance and let myself in.

"Welcome to the Pokemon Tower, dear. Have you come in mourning?" The woman at the entrance spoke in a hoarse voice, like she hadn't used it in a long time.

"Actually, I'm just passing through. What is this place?" All around me were people in tears.

"The Pokemon Tower, a place where people come to let their beloved Pokemon rest eternally. It is, in short, a graveyard for deceased Pokemon."

Suddenly, I didn't want to be there anymore. I was a firm believer in ghosts, that they existed and could, on occasion, hurt the living. If dead Pokemon were buried in this tower, then ghosts of those Pokemon would probably go out and attack me as well.

"You're welcome to look around, dear. Say a silent prayer for those Pokemon that have passed on."

"O-Of course." Thanks to my big mouth, I was now stuck in that tower for at least another few minutes to offer a prayer. I looked down at Vulpix, but she didn't seem the least bit alert. If she didn't sense anything bad around, then maybe there was nothing to be afraid of after all.

I walked around the first floor for a while, mostly listening in on people's conversations. Most were here because a Pokemon of theirs had died, and were just there to say their final farewells. With every conversation I heard, I looked down at Vulpix, dreading the day I'd have to come here to bury her. If that day ever came to pass, that is. I was still at that stage in life where you don't think you'll ever die, neither will those around you. At that moment, I heard some noise coming from a higher floor. It was a noise I recognized all too well.

"Ma'am," I asked the woman at the entrance, "is there battling allowed in this tower?"

"There is no official allowance of the matter, but sometimes trainers are attacked by vengeful spirits. Pokemon trainers are cautioned before ascending to a higher floor. I believe a young man went upstairs earlier, and hasn't come down."

Ghost type Pokemon. This was the only place in the entire region to catch one, I'd later learn. I didn't catch one on that trip, but all the same I decided to follow the noise upstairs. Once we were on the second floor, Vulpix was on full alert. There were spirits around us now. Where there were no tombstones on the first floor, up here the floor was covered in them, all memorials to dead Pokemon. The noise came from higher up, so I told Vulpix to follow me as I went up another floor. There was no one on this floor either, so I kept moving up.

Finally, on the fourth floor, I saw another familiar face. It was Gary Oak, and he was fighting some large Pokemon on the other side of the floor. His Nidorino was having trouble, so I ran up to his side with Vulpix.

"Star! What are you doing here?" He said in shock.

"I'm here to help! Vulpix, Ember!"

Vulpix spun around, raining down flames on the Pokemon. In the meantime, I pulled out my Pokedex, trying to identify it. Shockingly, the Pokedex said it couldn't ID the Pokemon. I looked back at Vulpix, who was backing away from the Pokemon, just like Gary's Nidorino.

"We can't beat it. No matter what we do, it just doesn't stop. We have to run!"

We both turned around to flee, but waiting for us was another ghostly apparition. Unlike the strange one now at our rear, this one I could ID off the bat as a Gastly. Vulpix was paralyzed with a sudden fear, while Gary's Nidorino stepped forward.

"Nidorino, use Roar!"

The purple critter let out a deafening howl, which caused even Vulpix to jump into my arms. The Gastly didn't flinch, however, and closed in on Nidorino with its tongue exposed.

"Nidorino, dodge and use Poison Sting!"

Again, the Pokemon showed amazingly dexterity as it deftly dodged the incoming attack from Gastly and retaliated in short order. It wasn't much of a hit on the ghostly Pokemon, but enough to cause it to vanish into thin air for the moment. That would be our sign to escape.

Gary withdrew his Nidorino and grabbed my hand, leading me back to the stairs. I looked back at the mysterious ghost Pokemon, which unlike the Gastly Gary had just fought off, didn't look anything like a ghost. Whatever it was, it wasn't a normal ghost Pokemon.

Once we were back on the first floor, Gary finally let go of my hand. I put Vulpix back down on the floor, where she scratched behind her ear for a while.

"Gary, what was that?" I asked, catching my breath.

"I think it was a ghost, but not an ordinary ghost Pokemon." He pulled out his own Pokedex, trying to find more information on it. The woman at the entrance approached us.

"So, you came face to face with Marowak, children?"

"Marowak? That may have been what it looked like, but it sure wasn't a real Marowak!" Gary snapped shut his Pokedex. The woman chuckled.

"That's because that Marowak is the spirit of the real thing. She died protecting her Cubone son from some villains that stormed the tower a few weeks ago. They made off with the Cubone, and since then her spirit has returned to haunt the fourth floor of the tower."

"Sounds awful fishy, to me," said Gary, crossing his arms.

"Is that normal?" I asked.

"Not in the least," said the woman, shaking her head slowly. "Deceased Pokemon may eventually be reborn as ghost Pokemon, but sometimes, in rare cases, Pokemon return as the kind of Pokemon they were in life. Marowak is one of those rare cases."

"So, are we just supposed to stay out of the tower, then?" Gary looked back at the stairs, eager to take another shot at the Pokemon that beat him.

"Yes, child. Until the Marowak has come to terms with her loss, she will haunt the Pokemon Tower. I'd recommend you not return, you may not escape so easily next time."

~o~

I followed Gary outside, where the sun was starting to set. He stared at his Nidorino's Pokeball for a while, not saying a word. Vulpix rubbed up against my leg, so I picked her up in my arms. Finally, Gary turned to face me.

"Well, that was a fun little side trip, right?"

"I guess," I said, confused at his attitude about everything that had just happened. "Where are you going now?"

"South. Headed to Fuchsia City. You?"

"Fuchsia? Aren't you going to pick up any badges from the cities around here?"

"Already did!" Gary pulled out his trainer card, showing me five badges all neatly arranged on the opposite side of the card. I recognized three of them, so I guessed the other two were from Celadon and Saffron.

"How did you get into Saffron City? I heard it was closed off."

"The guard on the east entrance, from Celadon," Gary said, leaning in closer so that no one else could hear. "He'll let you in if you give him something specific."

"Something?"

"In Celadon, there's this huge shopping mall. Pick up a bottle of Seafoam Spring Water, it'll be sure to quench his thirst!"

"Oh, I see," I said to him. He gave me that same cocky smile he always has on before turning north for a moment.

"I'll let you in on one other little secret, Star. If you want, you can head north from here, and follow the river a bit."

"Why?"

"There's this old abandoned power plant along river's edge, near the exit of the Rock Tunnel. You'll need to cross the river with a Pokemon or your own swimming prowess, but if you can get there, you'll find the plant." Gary fished around for something in his pocket, then produced a bright yellow feather.

"Wow, what is it?" I asked, taking the feather in my hand. It was hot to the touch, but not immediately. The longer I held onto it, the hotter it got. I handed it back to Gary before it burned my fingers.

"A Pokemon feather, though I don't know what kind dropped it. I think it might be an ultra rare Pokemon, but I couldn't find it myself. Maybe you'll have better luck? Well, smell ya later, Star! Can't be wasting any time sleeping when there's more badges to collect!"

Just like that, Gary left Lavender Town. It wasn't enough that he left me standing in the middle of Lavender Town, but now with the temptation to go off-course to investigate a potentially rare Pokemon in some power plant. Though I was fixated on pushing forward in my quest for the gym badges to catch up to Deneb, I had to go see for myself.

After all, exploration is one of the main reasons you become a trainer in the first place!


	10. The Abandoned Power Plant

The Abandoned Power Plant, Chapter 10

After a good night's rest at the Lavender Town Pokemon Center, as well as a delicious breakfast courtesy of the friendly and lovely Nurse Joy, I set off. My direction? North!

Obviously, I couldn't resist the temptation to explore this abandoned power plant. In a way, I thought Gary had told me about the place on purpose. While I'd be out looking for a Pokemon even he couldn't find, he'd be off in Fuchsia City collecting yet another badge. And though I wasn't exactly in a race against Gary, I knew Deneb would be moving as fast as he could to keep up with Gary. And since I wanted to keep up with Deneb...

"I'm thinking about this too much," I ended up blurting out along the way. Vulpix looked up at me like I was going crazy, which probably wasn't far from the truth. Still, I gave her a smile, and she a bark to me.

I followed Gary's instructions, and traveled north along the river. This meant I was far enough from the beaten path to avoid the occasional trainer headed south to Lavender Town from the Rock Tunnel, and thus no battles along the way. And sure enough, after a short while of walking, I spotted the large building across the river. Now all I had to do was get across the river itself. Which wouldn't have been a problem if I only knew how to swim.

I know, I know. I lived in Pallet Town, a confirmed seaside abode, and didn't know how to swim? Well, it was just something I never quite got around to learning. Or feared learning altogether. I changed my story depending on who I was talking to. Earn sympathy points to get things, I guess.

Still, now I had to get across. The river here led straight to the ocean past Lavender Town on Route 12, so it was pretty deep. Fortunately, I hadn't come all this way without a plan. I picked out Dratini's Pokeball from my belt, and released my newest friend.

The slender blue Pokemon looked up at me, ready to do what needed doing. I gave it a pat on the head before pointing out to the river.

"Listen, Dratini. I need you to help me get across the river to the other side. Can you do that?"

Dratini looked across to the other side, then to me, then again to the other side. The Pokemon nodded, but then poked at my bag. Confused, I knelt down and placed my bag next to Dratini. The blue critter wrapped its tail around the strap, and made its way into the water. Before I could say anything, Dratini was swimming across the surface to the other side, with my bag in tow just above the surface. Dratini tried his best to keep the bag dry, but I guess between the encyclopedia and the folded bike, it was a bit too heavy for him.

Once on the other side, Dratini dropped the bag off, and swam back across the river to me. He was ready to ferry the next person across.

"Guess all of us would've been too much for you, huh? Take Vulpix next."

Dratini nodded, though Vulpix wasn't thrilled at the idea. Since the only alternative was travel via Pokeball, she'd have to get a bit wet. Especially since the spare Pokeballs were already across the river. So grudingly, Vulpix followed Dratini into the river, where the blue critter helped keep her afloat as the two paddled across the surface. Well, Vulpix paddled, and Dratini sort of just glided across the surface. Once Vulpix was across, it was my turn.

It was a terrifying experience, let me say right off. However, part of the Pokemon adventure was learning to trust my critters with my very life, if need be. I knew that although Dratini was a newcomer to my team, he wouldn't let me drown. And sure enough, he helped me across the river, serving as a living floatation device as I kicked my feet underwater to speed the process up.

Once I was on the other side, I thanked Dratini and let him take a break in his Pokeball. Vulpix had already dried herself off with a few violent shakes, so all I had to do was get changed into a dry dress. I made sure to find a bush or tree nearby for some privacy, then went on inside the power plant.

~o~

There was a constant sound within the power plant.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Every few steps. Every few seconds.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

A metallic sound, almost like someone banging on a pipe with the wrench or something. Never loud enough where it would sound intentional, but never soft enough where it would be like a canister or something falling on the floor. It was really distracting at first, but with time it turned into background noise. Though Vulpix was on edge the entire time.

Since this place wasn't exactly nature, I guessed the kinds of Pokemon we'd be finding around here would be strange. At the very least, they wouldn't be the usual Rattatas and Pidgeys. And that knowledge is what had me on edge the most.

I turned a corner, but not before sneaking a glance first. Sure enough, there was something making that clang noise. It was a small critter, silver body, ramming against something. It had a single, large eyeball between the two distinct magnets that made up its 'arms'. A Magnemite. I pulled out my Pokedex, making use of the thing for a bit of help.

"Magnemite, the Magnet Pokemon. The units at the sides of its body generate anti-gravity energy to keep it aloft in the air."

"Big help there," I mumbled aloud. The Magnemite had long since noticed us, thanks to the Pokedex's loud voice when sharing information.

The floating Pokemon closed in on us, the magnets it had for arms letting out plenty of sparks. Magnemites were electric Pokemon, and while fire wasn't going to be the best choice for the fight, I had little time to find a replacement critter. Vulpix stepped up to the challenge, ready to fight back.

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

My small friend flooded the hallway with her attack, blasting the Magnemite and burning more than a few other things as well. Surprisingly, the Magnemite was scorched. Before I could guess as to why Vulpix's attack was so effective, however, I heard a voice coming from deep within the building.

Panicking, I scooped her up into my arms and ran back towards the entrance. Unfortunately, there were more Magnemite floating along this hallway now, trapping me between the voices and these wild critters.

"I thought I heard someone," came the voice from the other hallway. "Sounded like a kid!"

I took a quick look around, and found a dirty old cardboard box to the side. Without thinking twice, I ducked under it, and held Vulpix close so that we both made as little noise as possible. Within seconds, I heard footsteps just beyond the cardboard box.

"Look out, man. There are Magnemite all over this place." Said one of the voices.

"Where'd that kid go, then? You saw that other Magnemite fried to a crisp, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but there's no sign of this kid. Maybe he got away?"

"Shouldn't we go after him? The boss'll have our heads if we tell him about this."

"You crazy? I'm not fighting another group of Magnemite just to chase some kid. I won't mention the kid if you won't."

There was a tense silence for a few seconds. I took a slow, deep breath.

"Fine. You got a point, anyway. Let's head back. Whatever that rare Pokemon was, it's long gone now."

The two voices turned into footsteps going back down the hallway where I fought that Magnemite. Within seconds, I couldn't hear them anymore. All the same, I waited another minute or two, just in case it was some sort of trap. However, the longer I waited, the more eager I was to get out from under that box. I hadn't noticed at first because of the panic, but there was something really slimy underneath the box, as well as all over.

I finally threw the box off, and crawled away from the spot. Vulpix started growling, and I turned around to see what the slimy feeling was. It was a pile of purple goo, with my footprints still clearly marked where I had been crouched. Before I could even begin to be disgusted, the purple goo started to move and take a shape of its own. It ended up being a Pokemon I knew all too well: a Grimer.

"Vulpix, use Flamethrower!" I screamed, forgetting entirely about the possibility of being heard.

Vulpix stepped forward and blasted Grimer with her attack, melting away the slimy Pokemon to a much smaller pile of goo. Once that was done, I scooped Vulpix up into my arms again and started running towards the entrance of the power plant. Even if I had to duck past Magnemite to get out, I couldn't stay there a moment longer.

~o~

Once I was outside the building, I hid behind some trees a short ways upriver. If those two guys heard me when I ordered Vulpix to attack the Grimer, I at least didn't want to be caught in the middle of crossing the river with Dratini. I ended up waiting for almost a full hour, and no one else came out of the power plant. I guessed the two people left out some back door, or something.

Now in the clear, I took a chance to wash off a bit by the river while Dratini got to work swimming my bag and Vulpix across. This trip had served only to give me a run in with a couple Pokemon and ruin one of my dresses, so I had to make sure to give Gary Oak a piece of my mind next time I saw him. The purple goo from the Grimer just wouldn't come out of my yellow dress, and what's worse it had a terrible smell.

After Dratini helped me across the river, I hid behind some bushes and changed clothes again, this time to the still slightly damp dress from the first time I crossed the river. Though it wasn't right for me to leave behind that dirty dress, I had no choice. I wouldn't put that filthy thing back in my bag, and the stench was so bad, I didn't want to carry it back to Lavender Town with me. I'm sure if I never spoke of it again, no one would hold it against me.

When I got back to Lavender Town, there was still enough time left in the day to do something, just not be on my way to Celadon City. Now more convinced than ever that Gary had told me about the power plant on purpose to waste my time, I sulked within the Pokemon Center for the rest of the day. Vulpix, lazy fox that she is, fell asleep right away.

And though I was tempted to wake her so that at least we could be miserable together, I didn't. She was sleeping so soundly, I didn't want to rouse her.

After all, not like there was much else to do.


	11. Seven, Seven, Rocket

Seven, Seven, Rocket, Chapter 11

Celadon City, the largest city in all of Kanto. After an uneventful train ride in from Lavender Town, I got off at the Celadon station, and right smack into a city-wide festival. Up and down the streets, people were cheering on a bunch of parade floats with dozens of Pokemon and people on board. Naturally, Vulpix was completely taken in with the sights, and I was finding it hard to keep her steady in my arms. Couldn't risk losing her in the crowd in all the excitement.

"Excuse me," I asked a nearby party-goer, "What's the celebration about?"

"Summer Festival," the woman replied, taking an extra green party hat and slapping it on my head. "Happens every summer!"

"Thank you for the hat, but is it always this wild?"

"Of course! Erika always makes it as grand as possible! She loves everything relating to plants, you see!"

After pestering a few other people, I finally got the whole story. Apparently, ever since this Erika girl showed up in Celadon, she's arranged these seasonal festivals for a couple years now. Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter; every few months there'd be a whole new reason to celebrate. The motif, as always, was everything green: Erika loved plants and trees, I guessed. Well, though I was there for a badge, I figured there was no harm in taking in the sights and fun of the festival. I mean, how often does one walk in on a festival?

Of course, just like any festival, the prices were murder. I mean, I spent money as needed, but I suddenly felt the hurt while I bought all sorts of junk food and souvenirs. ¥500 for a donut? ¥1200 for a paper fan? I didn't mind it much at first, but after a few purchases I was shocked to find my wallet had run dry. At this point I wiggled my way out of the crowds.

Or at least that's what I'd have wanted. When they said city-wide festival, they meant it. No matter what street I got on, there were more people, more vendors, and somehow, more floats than on the last one. Either that, or I was running around in circles. Finally, I noticed two people sneaking into some building, so I took a chance and followed them in.

From one kind of party to another. The sign said 'Celadon City Game Corner', but it was clear enough. Slot machines, far as the eye could see. It was a casino! Since at the time I had never been in one, I took a step further to get a closer look, when someone held me back by my collar.

"How old are you, kid?" The guard was dressed like a policeman, or maybe he was one.

"Ten, sir." I answered meekly.

"You could've said seven, I still wouldn't believe you. Go home to your mommy, kid." He dragged me along by the back of my dress, opening the door. I struggled a bit, but he had a firm grip on me.

"But! I just wanted to see!" I screamed. The guard stopped short of throwing me back out onto the street.

"You got money, kid?"

"Um, yeah...?" That was a lie, but I don't know why I even said it.

"Welcome to the Celadon Game Corner! Please visit the Exchange Desk for tokens, and have a great time!"

Letting go at last, the guard apologized with a slight tip of his hat. Vulpix growled at him, but I covered her mouth and made my way to the back where the desk was. I reminded Vulpix that she shouldn't growl at policemen as I stepped up to the counter. Oddly enough, another guy dressed as a policeman was manning the booth.

"Tokens are ¥10000, kid. You gonna buy?"

"Ten thousand!?" I reached for my wallet, though I was certain I didn't have even a fraction of that amount. No surprise, I didn't.

"Um, is there anything cheaper?" The guy leaned in closer once I asked.

"Tell you what," he said, "I'll give you a one time deal: ¥1000 for a few less."

"That I can afford!" I proudly dug around my wallet for the money, and handed it to the guy. He stashed it in a register, then reached for a tray with a number of colored tokens. He took out almost all of them before pushing the tray into my reach.

"The third machine from the left on this wall is off limits-I mean, it's out of order. Just don't go near it, okay?"

"Okay," I replied, taking the tray. I couldn't shake the feeling I had been ripped off, but all I wanted to do was try my luck. I passed by the machine that was supposedly out of order, and took a long look at it. Other than looking a bit older than most of the other machines, it didn't look broken. The guy at the desk continued to stare at me, almost making sure I didn't touch that machine. Rather than cause trouble, I moved over one machine.

I pushed in a token, and instantly the machine came to life. Bright lights flashed all over, and the machine begged for me to pull the lever on the right. I obliged, and the slots started spinning at a speed that turned all the icons into a blur of colors. Vulpix started clawing at the reels in excitement, and after a couple seconds they stopped, and the results were all different pictures. A little buzz sound let me know that I lost, and the machine asked for another token.

And so, I fed it another. And another. And another. And another. And the machine kept eating away my tokens, one by one, each time mocking me with that same little buzz sound.

I was finally down to my final token. I looked at it for a moment, then back at the machine in front of me. Since Vulpix didn't understand the point of the machine, even she begged me to put the coin in, wanting to see the slots spin again. I took another look towards the Exchange Desk, and saw the guy was busy reading a magazine. I grabbed onto Vulpix, and slid over one chair to the left.

I pulled on the lever of the older machine, and it sprung to life, asking for a token. Since I hadn't won anything on the normal machine, I figured losing a coin on a supposedly broken one wouldn't hurt. I fed the coin into the machine, and pulled the lever. The reels started spinning, and one by one they stopped. Seven. Seven. Seven.

The machine started roaring a victory tune, flashing every single light as brightly as possible, and burst open the reward tray below the slots. But not a single coin fell out of the machine. Instead, I heard a loud clang to my right, and when I looked over in that direction, I saw a piece of the wall on the other side of the room spring open, revealing a secret staircase. At that moment, I felt someone walk up behind me. I turned around, and saw the two men dressed like police officers.

"Come with us, young lady."

~o~

That same secret staircase I opened was where those men dragged me into. My surprise, there was a huge facility of some sort down there, and populated entirely by a group of people I was pretty familiar with: Team Rocket. At that point, I just prayed none of the members that were at Mt Moon were here, too, and that they recognized me. No doubt if I was seen as a repeat troublemaker, I'd be in far worse trouble. I kept Vulpix in my arms the entire time, and I was actually amazed they didn't try to separate me from her. A Pokemon in my hands and I'd prove to be a dangerous prisoner, wouldn't you agree?

Still, they led me to a room somewhere inside the building. Unlike the other rooms I had seen on the way, this one was much nicer, with a rug on the floor, a long, white table, and a tall chair at the end of it. Like something out of a cartoon, the chair spun around to reveal someone in charge. He was a short man, head shaved almost entirely, and in a full black suit. His eyes were sharp, like a Spearow, or Fearow. He stood up from his chair and walked over to me.

"This the intruder?" He asked the men standing by me. His voice was deep, and honestly, pretty scary.

"Yes, Giovanni. I told her not to touch the slot machine, yet she defied us." Giovanni lowered his head, covering his face with his hand.

"This is why," he said, before looking at the two, "I told you to just put a bunch of tape around the thing!"

His voice echoed throughout the room. The two men stood still, and I noticed one of them started sweating a bit. He sounded like a mean boss.

"Y-Yes, sir! We'll get right on it!"

"You better," Giovanni told them, "Because if someone else discovers our operation here, I'll personally see you two at the bottom of the ocean!"

Without waiting for further orders, they ran out of the room. Now alone with this Giovanni, I swallowed hard as his attention turned to me. For a few seconds, all he did was stare at me. I could feel sweat forming on my forehead.

"Tell me," he said, his voice now softer than before, but no where near gentle, "Are you a Pokemon Trainer, girl?"

"Yes, sir," I answered, never turning away from him. Vulpix started to growl at him, and while I tried to stop her as fast as possible, he still heard her.

"I see your Vulpix doesn't take to me."

"She doesn't mean anything by it, sir, honest!" I held her mouth shut, making sure she didn't make the situation worse. Giovanni smiled, which only made him look scarier still.

"Why did you touch the slot machine, when my men specifically told you it was off limits?"

"Actually," I said, swallowing again before I continued, "they said it was out of order."

"All the more reason to not waste your hard-earned tokens on a broken machine. So tell me, why did you?"

"It was my last token, sir. I thought it wouldn't matter if I tried it on the broken machine." My reasoning didn't seem to convince Giovanni. He stood there in front of me, staring at me with those cold eyes for so long.

"Forgive me if I don't believe you. You don't look like you could pose any threat to my operation here, though." He turned around and returned to his chair on the other side of the table. I sighed a little, hoping this was all just a misunderstanding.

"So, I can go?"

"I'm afraid not. You may not pose a threat, but there's no guarantee you won't go running to the Celadon Police Department. I'm afraid I'm going to have to keep you locked up here, until the operation is complete." Giovanni pressed a button on the table, and in a few seconds the doors behind me swung open. A pair of different Rocket grunts showed up.

"Please escort this young lady to the detention cell, and make sure you relieve her of her Pokemon, the Vulpix included. See that its stored in a Pokeball, along with the others, and ready for transport."

"What!? No! You can't take my Pokemon!" I screamed, and tried to run away. The grunts held me in place, though. Vulpix jumped out of my arms, turning to the grunts and opening her mouth. She was about to release a Flamethrower attack on them, when Giovanni released his own Pokemon. It crushed his table, a massive purple monster: Nidoking.

"Obviously, your Pokemon doesn't stand a chance against mine," he said, walking beside his Nidoking. Vulpix backed away, hiding behind my legs.

"Now, unless you want Nidoking here to have himself a tasty treat, you'll not make another sound. Do I make myself clear?"

I had no choice. I stopped resisting, and let the grunts take my bag and my Pokemon. Vulpix fought back a little, despite my telling her not to. It was painful to watch her be taken away like that, but I didn't want to risk anything happening to her. Once they were out of my sight, Giovanni ordered them to take me next.

The detention cell was on another floor, further down below the building. There wasn't even a bed or chair to sit in, just plain white walls to stare at. I couldn't begin to imagine how long I'd be trapped in there. And all the while, I was more worried about what was happening to Vulpix and my other friends. Would I ever see them again?

~o~

I fell asleep after staring at the door for a long time. I didn't even know what time it was anymore, only that I had to use the bathroom. I knocked on the door, but there was no answer. I waited for a minute, then knocked again. Still, there was no answer. I seriously needed to get out of there, so I started banging on the door. I couldn't hear anything from the other side, not even people walking around. At this point, I started screaming at the top of my lungs.

I banged on the door, screamed for help a few times, then banged some more. I did this so many times, I lost count. Still, I heard nothing on the other side of the door. Had Team Rocket abandoned the building? Did they leave me down here to die? The more I thought about these things, the faster my heart raced. I didn't want to die! I banged on the door some more, screaming to the point of tears. Finally, all I could do was cry as I stayed glued to the door.

After a few minutes, I heard something on the other side. Footsteps first, then stomping. Then I heard both, and even some screams. Something was going on outside. Wiping away my tears, I started banging on the door again. I screamed out to whoever was nearby.

"Someone! Help! Please!"

I paused for a second to listen through the door, but I couldn't tell if the footsteps were getting closer or not. I banged on the door a few more times, and called out again.

"Help me! Please! Help!"

This time, when I put my ear to the door, I heard stomping. It was getting louder, and closer. Soon enough, it even started to shake the floor underneath me. The stomping stopped in front of the door, the shadow from outside creeping through the crack under the door. I suddenly remembered Giovanni's Nidoking, and feared the worst. What if he came to personally silence me? I stayed quiet for a minute.

"Is anyone in there?" A voice called out through the door. It wasn't Giovanni's.

"Yes! Please, help me!" I cried out.

"Stand back, away from the door! Dragonite, go!" Right after he commanded it, the door was ripped right off its hinges, finally flooding that small room I was in with light. My savior was a young man, and his Pokemon was even larger than Giovanni's Nidoking! It was a Dragonite, a Pokemon I recognized from my encyclopedia.

"Are you alright?" He asked, giving me his hand.

"Yes, I'm fine. Who are you?"

"My name is Lance. I'm on the trail of Team Rocket. There was talk that someone was taken hostage inside the Game Corner, and sure enough, here you are."

"Yeah," I said, laughing a bit, "Those two grunts took me in here, but they forgot the room was filled with people playing the machines. Not very smart, are they?"

"Luckily for you. Stay behind me, and I'll get you out of here safely, okay?"

"No, wait! They took my Pokemon! You have to help me find them!"

"You're a Pokemon Trainer?" I nodded, and Lance reached into his coat. He handed me a Pokeball.

"This is one of mine. He'll follow your every command, so use him to find your friends. I have to find Giovanni, before he escapes again."

"He was in that big room, on the next floor," I said, inspecting the Pokeball. Just what kind of Pokemon was waiting to be released, I wondered?

"Already checked there. He must've fled once you opened the secret door. Blast!" Lance took the Pokeball from me again, and stashed it back in his coat.

"What's your name?"

"I'm Star."

"Well, Star, looks like I'll be helping you find your Pokemon after all."

Sadly, I didn't get to see Lance's Dragonite in battle. By the time we got back up to the next floor, the place was deserted. A few of the grunts were on the floor, most of them pretty beat up. Everything else looked the same, though, like they just got up and ran at the first sign of trouble. Fortunately, they didn't finish transferring my Pokemon to wherever they were going to be sent, and I found them in another room on that same floor. Vulpix was locked inside a cage, too.

"Vulpix! Are you okay?"

I released her from the cage, and she leapt into my arms and started licking my face. I took a moment to make sure she wasn't hurt, then collected my bag and Pokeballs. Nothing seemed to be missing from a quick glance, so I breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad you didn't lose any of your friends," Lance said. "I'm just disappointed I lost track of Giovanni again."

"Who is Giovanni? Is he the leader of Team Rocket?"

"I'd rather not comment on that. Come along, Star. I'll lead you out of here safely." Lance turned and started walking. It seemed that when he didn't want to talk about something, he wouldn't. Just who he was was another mystery altogether. At least I knew he wasn't a bad guy.

Outside, it was already dark, and most of the crowds had gone home already. Police cars were all over the place, though, with officers taking in the captured Rocket members from inside the Game Corner. One of them, a tall, beautiful woman, approached us.

"The Celadon City Police Department would like to thank you two Pokemon trainers for apprehending these criminals," she said, saluting both Lance and myself.

"Oh, I don't deserve any credit," I said, pointing to Lance. "It was all Lance here. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Then I offer you the entire force's gratitude, Lance." She saluted once again.

"I don't need the salute and tribute, officer. I'm just sad I couldn't catch Giovanni here. See that the girl is taken care of, she was held hostage by them for a while."

Without giving anyone a chance to say goodbye, Lance walked off past the police cars. Wearing a dark coat and all, he instantly disappeared into the dark of the streets. I turned to the officer, who was busy talking to other policemen. Finally, she turned to me.

"I'm Officer Jenny," she said, kneeling down to my level. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"No, I'm okay. I am a bit tired, though."

"Don't worry, I'll take you to a hotel for the night, all expenses paid! Follow me."

I got into Officer Jenny's car, and we drove away from the scene. I took the moment to check through my bag, and make double sure everything was still there. Luckily, everything was, but I also noticed something extra. It was another Pokeball, and this one wasn't empty. I didn't say anything in the car, because Jenny probably would've said it was best to turn it in to Lost & Found.

Not that I was a thief, but who knows how long that poor Pokemon would sit alone at the Police Station, waiting for a trainer that might never come back? I put the Pokeball away in my bag again. I promised whatever critter was inside, and myself, that I'd take especially good care of it.


	12. Scentsational Erika of Celadon Gym

Scent-sational Erika of Celadon Gym, Chapter 12

Now, I'm sure everyone knows I have nothing but respect and love for the Pokemon Centers of the world, and all the Nurse Joys that run the places. I thank them every day for letting me stay the night, free of charge, every time I need to. But every once in a while, it sure is a treat, if nothing else, to be able to stay in the lap of luxury known as a real hotel. When Officer Jenny said the city would put me up for the night, she certainly didn't mean some cheap motel on the side of the road by the train station, oh no. I got to stay at the possibly world-famous Celadon Skyline Resort. On the seventeenth floor, too!

The hotel room was decorated with a red and gold theme, almost like royalty. The bed was huge, a queen size big enough to fit at least three people. An enormous TV across from the bed was mine to use, as well as enough space nearby for a Pokemon friend to rest easy outside their Pokeball. The bathroom as well as amazing to behold, and I think it might've been almost as big as my bedroom back home! Officer Jenny told me that I was free to make use of the room service provided I didn't order enough food to rouse suspicion, and to check out the next morning when I was well-rested. I made sure I didn't have to comply with anything police related the next day, and it was the perfect escape from my travels.

Well, enough gushing about the hotel, its customer service, complimentary food, and even treatment of Pokemon with exquisite pillows for them to rest outside their small prisons. Okay, I'll stop for real now. So, I woke up the next morning, feeling more refreshed than ever before, I think. After making use of the free bathrobe-last mention of the hotel, honest-and taking an early shower, I woke Vulpix up for some breakfast.

And while I was on my way to the Celadon Gym that morning, I figured it was time to get acquainted with my two newest Pokemon. I first reached for Dratini's Pokeball, a friend that had been most helpful during my trip to the power plant the other day.

"Be nice to him, Vulpix," I told my furry little companion. She scratched the back of her ear. Taking it as a yes, I released Dratini from his Pokeball. Once the little snake was free, he looked at me, then at Vulpix. Maybe he was expecting another swim job? I leaned in close to him.

"Hey there, little guy," I said, patting him on the head. "Don't worry, I don't think you'll have to help us swim across anymore rivers. At least, I hope not."

Dratini enjoyed the attention, even slithering up against me. I gave him a nice hug, make him feel like part of the family. After that, I went over to my bag on the table, taking out the other Pokeball, and my Pokedex. After all, I needed to make sure I knew just what Dratini is capable of in battle, if I wanted to try him out at today's matches.

"Dratini, the Dragon Pokemon. Long considered a mythical Pokemon until recently, when a small colony was found living underwater." I tapped a button on the Pokedex, which changed the information displayed on Dratini to his abilities.

"Dratini is capable of using the abilities: Wrap, Thunder Wave, Twister. It is female."

"Oh! So you're a girl Pokemon! I'm so sorry, girl," I said, stroking the back of her head. She didn't seem to mind the confusion. With all that information drilled into my head, I turned to the Pokeball in my hands.

"Alright you two, the Pokemon in this ball was saved from Team Rocket. I don't know what kind of Pokemon it will end up being, but remember, whatever it is, he's probably just afraid of meeting new people. Be nice, okay?"

Vulpix and Dratini nodded, and I released the Pokemon in the ball. After the red flash disappeared, the Pokemon that was left before us was a small, brown fox. It almost looked like Vulpix, only without the extra five tails she had. It looked at us with those big, round eyes, but didn't really seem all that hostile. I pointed the Pokedex at it.

"Eevee, the Evolution Pokemon. Its genetic code is irregular. It may mutate if it is exposed to radiation from element stones."

"Mutate? Like evolve?" Eevee just stared back at me, not doing anything. I snapped shut the Pokedex, and pushed Vulpix and Dratini forward.

"Eevee, meet your new family! This is Vulpix, and Dratini."

Eevee just sat there, and didn't say or do anything to the other two. Vulpix barked a few things to him, and Dratini even offered her tail in some form of 'handshake', but Eevee didn't accept it. I figured he was just shy, so I didn't push the matter.

"Well, at least we're all acquainted. Now, everyone back to their Pokeballs, we have a big match today!"

~o~

After checking out of the hotel, I got back on the streets of Celadon, now a completely different place from yesterday. This also meant I didn't have to carry Vulpix around anymore, so I let her walk behind me as usual. After asking for directions from a police officer outside the hotel, I found myself first in front of the Celadon Department Store. I knew the gym was just further down the road, but Gary did say I should buy some water here. If that's all it took to get into Saffron City, why bother locking it off in the first place?

All the same, I went in through the front door, and to my surprise, it was actually quite empty. Then again, there was nothing on sale, either! Other than a desk with a couple of people behind it, and some papers on the walls, the floor was completely empty. Not much for a store when there's nothing to sell. I walked up to the counter.

"Excuse me, what do you sell here?" I asked.

"Nothing on this floor, honey," the woman said, smiling. "We only provide information here. Are you looking for something in particular?"

"Not really," I said, not wanting to go blurting out the water, in case it was some big secret. "Just looking around."

"Well, in that case, here." She handed me a brochure with a bunch of lists on it. "That's a detailed pamphlet with all our floors and their merchandise offerings. Just take the elevator to whichever floor you need, and enjoy your shopping!"

"Thank you."

I stepped into the elevator, but didn't press any buttons. According to the list, the second floor was the Trainer's Market, then the Game Shop, Gift Store, Pharmacy, and lastly the Rooftop Square. Water sounded like a necessity for trainers, so I started with the second floor. I pressed the #2 button, and waited for a moment as the elevator carried me to the second floor. I always did enjoy that strange feeling you get in your belly when the elevator is moving.

Out on the second floor, it was certainly a different place. Where the first floor was completely empty, this floor was packed with trainers all trying to stock up for their adventures. Luckily, the first thing you're supposed to see is the giant sign hanging from the ceiling that says 'NO BATTLING'. Not that it was helping keep the craziness out of the store. I fought my way to the counter, where I asked where I could buy some water.

"Water? Not on this floor. Next please!"

I was pushed out of the way by the next person in line, and shuffled through the crowd all the way back to the elevator. Normally, I'd make something of a fuss given the rudeness of even the clerks. But since it was a bit of a mess on the floor, I kept my complaints to myself. Vulpix was by the elevator this whole time, doing the smart thing and staying away from the crazed shoppers.

I hopped back in the elevator with Vulpix, but had to take a trip back down to the first floor with a bunch of other shoppers before I could be taken to the fourth floor. Another spine-tingling ride up, I came out to a similar, yet completely different scene.

This floor was also packed with people, but rather than all of them fighting to get to the counter as fast as possible, everyone here was gathered in a corner around someone. They were promoting some new perfume or something, so I just snuck past the crowd and asked at the counter for the bottled water. The man there was much nicer, and told me that the vending machines on the rooftop sold what I was looking for. After thanking him for the help, I made for the elevator again. I pressed the button with a big 'R', when someone came running towards the elevator. I held the door open for her, and she managed to sneak inside. The crowd of people came running after her, but she didn't let them through. She pressed the #1 button, but the elevator was heading up for me, first.

"You selling something to those people?" I asked, trying to calm the girl down. She was breathing quite heavily, like she was scared or something.

"Perfume," she said with a smile. "Sometimes they get a little too excited."

"Is that the one you're wearing now? It smells lovely!" I took another whiff of the stuff from her kimono, enjoying the scent. Like some kind of fruit and flower mixed together.

"Thank you! I made it myself, with a secret formula."

"I'm sure it'll be a hit!" I smiled.

The elevator stopped on the rooftop, and I got out, saying goodbye to the girl in the kimono. Vulpix followed me out this time, not enjoying the smell in the elevator. Guess she didn't like perfume. The square on the roof was lined with vending machines, all selling different kinds of drinks. Some had signs saying that they perked Pokemon up just as well as potions, but I didn't think feeding a Pokemon Soda Pop was such a good idea. Finally, I came to one vendor that sold nothing but Seafoam Spring Water, and bought a bottle. I was now extremely short on money, but fortunately, I was about to visit a gym. The gym leaders always gave out plenty of reward money for victory.

~o~

I once thought Brock's gym was the most boring of them all, but once I saw the Celadon Gym, I realized it was all a stroke of genius. Brock was a master of Rock type Pokemon, and his gym was nothing but a plain stone building. Since the Celadon Gym specialized in Grass types, it was only natural it was built like a giant greenhouse. It made me wonder, though: if Brock ever retired, would they replace him with a new Rock specialist? Or would they have to rebuild the gym to match whatever specialty the new gym leader was?

After entertaining this thought for a while, I walked into the gym, where I was instantly bombarded with that same scent from the elevator. Either I had already met the gym leader by mistake, or the gym leader was in love with that kimono girl's perfume line. There were all kinds of women tending to the hundreds of plants inside the gym, and any one of them could be the gym leader. I took a look around first, and see if I could pick out the leader just by looking at them all. Before I could eye more than a few ladies, I felt someone tap on my shoulder.

"Can I help you?" Came the voice from behind me.

"Yes, I'm looking-" I stopped, and noticed it was the kimono girl from the elevator.

"Oh! You're that young girl I just met at the Department Store." She said, recognizing me as well.

"Yeah, I'm Star."

"I'm Erika. Can I help you find anything?"

"Well, I'm looking for the gym leader here." Erika's expression darkened a bit.

"You're a Pokemon trainer?"

"Yeah, Vulpix here was my first Pokemon. We're trying to get into Victory Road."

"Well, if you're looking for the gym leader, I'm afraid you've already found her." I took a step back.

"You're the gym leader?" Erika nodded.

"You've challenged me to a Pokemon battle, so I'm afraid until it's done, we cannot chat anymore like friends." She walked towards the other ladies, clapping her hands a few times to get their attention. After they were all dismissed, Erika took her position on the other side of a clearing.

"Are you ready, Star?" Erika was pretty calm about the whole affair.

"Um, yes. What are the rules?"

"We will each use three Pokemon. Once either of us has lost two of them, the match may be declared over by me. Are you ready?" I nodded, and looked down at Vulpix. After so many gym battles she had to sit out because she was at a disadvantage, she'd finally have her time to shine.

Erika released her first Pokemon, a small mass of blue vines. I pulled out my Pokedex to see just what kind of Pokemon that was.

"Tangela, the Vine Pokemon. Its identity is obscured by masses of thick, blue vines. The vines are said to never stop growing."

Though the Pokedex didn't give me any real useful information, it didn't change the fact that Tangela was just another Grass type Pokemon. Vulpix was out on the field, and the battle just waited for Erika's first command. This would probably be the easiest gym battle yet, not counting Cerulean City.

"Tangela, Constrict!"

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

Erika no doubt knew I'd go with a fire attack first, still she ordered her Tangela to attack head on. Vulpix opened her mouth and let loose a wave of fire, covering Tangela entirely. After a few seconds, Vulpix stopped her attack, and Tangela fell over, completely burned. That was almost too easy, actually. Erika called back her Tangela.

"I guess you weren't kidding when you said Vulpix was first Pokemon." She picked out her next critter, and threw it out onto the field. It was a familiar one: Weepinbell.

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

"Weepinbell, jump and use Stun Spore!"

This time, I admit I got a little cocky. Vulpix's Flamethrower missed completely, and Weepinbell rained down that painful powder all over her body. She yelped a little when she realized she couldn't move, and Weepinbell bounced over to her side.

"Weepinbell, please carry Vulpix back to Star, she can't fight anymore in this condition." Weepinbell lifted Vulpix off the ground in its large leafy hands, and handed her to me.

"Thank you, Erika, for not attacking her like this." I was grateful she spared Vulpix any further pain, but also a bit disappointed I lost my stronger combatant.

"I may be a gym leader, Star, but I won't beat on a Pokemon that just can't fight anymore. Please, pick your next challenger."

I thought about the next Pokemon for a moment. With Vulpix out, my edge over Erika was gone, and I needed to rethink my battle plan. Though Mankey could probably take her Weepinbell, one false move and she'd spray him with Stun Spore again. Erika was probably betting on winning with that move alone, so I decided to fight her fire, with my own. I reached for Dratini's Pokeball and released her.

"Your move, Star." Erika said in her usual soft tone.

"If you insist: Dratini, Tackle!"

"Weepinbell, Stun Spore!" Suddenly, letting me go first made sense.

"Dratini, no! Thunder Wave!"

The quick change in orders may have been a risky move, but it was my only chance of turning the tables on Erika. Weepinbell jumped into the air, spraying that pollen all over the field, but Dratini backed away enough to avoid it. The small nub on her forehead began to glow a bright yellow, and Dratini shot forth a golden ring at Weepinbell. It hit the Pokemon right on, and Weepinbell fell to the ground, paralyzed.

"Dratini, take Weepinbell back to Erika, he can't fight anymore." I said, echoing Erika's own words. I admit, that was very satisfying.

"That won't be necessary, Star." Erika called back her Weepinbell, leaving Dratini as the winner. Erika said she'd call off the battle once two of her Pokemon were down, so I expected the fight to be over. However, she reached for another Pokeball at her side. Out came another Pokemon I knew: Gloom.

"My final Pokemon, Star. Defeat her, and the Rainbowbadge is yours."

Dratini got a little closer to Gloom, but then backed away twice as fast. Something scared her away, something I had heard stories of. It looked like I'd have to end this battle in the same manner as the one before it.

"Dratini, Thunder Wave!"

"Gloom, get closer to Dratini!"

Dratini charged up the nub on her forehead, but before she could release the attack, Gloom got too close. Dratini started to panic, and ran back towards me, slithering between my ankles for safety.

"Has your Dratini forfeit the match?"

"No! She's just-" But I didn't have an excuse to give Erika. I ended up ripping Dratini off my leg and forcing her back into the arena. She ended up right in front of Gloom. She stood there for a moment, frozen to the spot.

"Gloom, Sweet Scent!"

Gloom spout a cloud of dust towards Dratini, and she wobbled for a bit before she fell over, completely knocked out.

"Dratini is unable to battle anymore. Please choose your next Pokemon, Star."

Once Dratini was back in her Pokeball. I reached for Eevee's next. I stopped short, though, realizing he'd have the same problems with Gloom's stench as any other Pokemon. I didn't want to believe Erika could win this fight by just standing there smelling like something, but all of my Pokemon needed to breathe somehow. That is, all of them but one. I reached for his Pokeball, and released Beedrill.

"Oh my, a bug? Desperate, aren't we?" Erika almost sounded as if she were mocking me.

"Beedrill, Poison Sting!"

"Gloom, Poison Powder!"

It was a battle of toxins, with Gloom spraying Beedrill head on with that harmful powder, and Beedrill crashing into Gloom stinger-first. By the look of Gloom, she had been poisoned, but so had Beedrill. Now, it was only a matter of time before either one of them fell. I reached for my Pokedex, and checked to see what Gloom's type was. She was Grass/Poison, which meant the status effect wouldn't weaken her as quickly as Beedrill.

"Beedrill, stop flying!"

The command was certainly strange, but he didn't disobey. Beedrill touched down on the ground, standing ready in case Gloom attacked. Erika was a bit confused at my order, but didn't say anything.

"Beedrill, lie down!"

Again, Beedrill looked at me like I had gone crazy, but did as ordered. This time, Erika had to say something.

"Are you giving up, Star?"

"Not at all. Are you, Erika?"

"We'll wait this battle out, if that's what you'd like."

And so we did. For minutes, we stood there, watching as our Pokemon slowly got weaker and weaker by poison. Beedrill was having trouble staying awake, but Gloom was having even more trouble. Erika hadn't ordered Gloom to sit down, so she was spending more energy being on the ready for any more commands or attacks from Beedrill. After a few more minutes, Gloom just couldn't take it anymore, and fell backwards. The poison had finally exhausted her.

"Gloom!" Erika ran over to her Pokemon, a medicine in hand. I called back Beedrill to his Pokeball, and ran over to Erika's side.

"Is she alright?" I asked, watching as Erika sprayed the antidote on her.

"Yes, she'll be fine after a night at the Pokemon Center. I must admit, Star, you certainly proved me wrong."

"About what?"

"I thought the battle was mine, since Gloom was part Poison type, she'd outlast your Beedrill. Guess I should've followed your lead and told Gloom to take it easy."

"It's a good thing you didn't." I smiled, showing her there were no hard feelings over the battle.

"Well, you've earned this, then." Erika reached into her kimono, producing a badge. It was shaped like a flower, and had different colors on every petal. The Rainbowbadge indeed.

"Thanks, Erika." I pulled out my trainer card, attaching the badge to the fourth slot on the back.

"Oh! One last thing," she said, running over to a closet by the entrance. She came back with a small bottle in the shape of a flower.

"What's this?"

"Floral Extract, my newest idea for a perfume. I know your Vulpix may not like it, but that shouldn't stop you from smelling like a flower. You're certainly beautiful enough!" I blushed a bit and looked away.

"Y-You think so?"

"Of course! I'm sure the boys all think the same thing!"

After thanking Erika again for everything, I made a stop by the Pokemon Center, as is the ritual. While my Pokemon got the treatment they deserved, I took the bottle of the perfume and stared at it for a while. If what Erika said was true, then perhaps this was the edge I needed to finally win over Deneb. I sprinkled a bit of it on my neck, smelling the delightful scent as it surrounded me. Next time I ran into Deneb, or maybe even Gary, I'd have to try it out for real.


	13. The Silph Takeover

The Silph Takeover, Chapter 13

The Boulderbadge, Cascadebadge, Thunderbadge, and Rainbowbadge. I had been out on my Pokemon adventure for a few weeks, and already I had half the badges necessary to get into Victory Road. Once I had the badge from Saffron City, it was all downhill from there. Of course, it wouldn't be that easy. Saffron had been locked off from the rest of the world for a couple weeks now, and almost no one knew what was going on in there. Gary had managed to sneak inside somehow, and he even gave me a clue on how to do that.

Route 7, the short road connecting Celadon and Saffron, was so short, in fact, that hardly any Pokemon made their home there. Of course, I did see a few running around the tall grass, like Meowth or even a Growlithe, a Pokemon I heard was pretty rare to see in the wild. However, I didn't try to catch any of them for myself. With a full team of six critters on me, I didn't want to go catching more, and have to force someone into Bill's storage system. Until he made a better system, and one that didn't turn him into a Pokemon, I would try my best to not use the system.

Saffron City is the only city in all the world that is actually fenced off. The limits are surrounded by a thick concrete wall, with entrances only available from the four cardinal directions, and those are guarded at all times. If what Gary said was true, the bottle of Seafoam Spring Water in my hand would be my ticket in. I opened the door to the entrance building.

"Saffron City is currently closed off to the public," the guard said the instant he heard the door open. "Unless you have authorization to enter, I will have to ask you to leave, under penalty of law."

"Um, I heard from a friend that the city was open again." I walked up to the guard behind the counter, Vulpix following close behind. I held the bottle of water in my hands, but not exactly in plain view. The guard shook his head.

"I'm sorry to say you've been misinformed, young lady. Please turn right around and return to Celadon City." He spoke with absolutely no enthusiasm, like it was the millionth time that day he'd said the same phrase. This time, I actually raised the bottle of water so he could see it.

"It's okay," I started, handing him the bottle. "You look thirsty, sir. Can I offer you some water?"

"Don't mind if I do, young miss!" He snatched the bottle out of my hands, and instantly downed the whole thing in a single gulp! After a few deep breaths afterward, he discarded the bottle in a trashcan behind the desk.

"You were certainly thirsty." I said with a smile.

"You have no idea, kid. They have me 18 hours a day, saying the same boring thing over and over to every traveler that tries to get into the city. I don't see why they don't just lock the doors and let us all go home!"

"At least you're still getting paid, right?"

"Well, yeah, I suppose so. Anyhow, you know I can't let you through here, fresh water or no." I let my head hang down for a moment, looking more distraught than I actually was.

"I just wanted to try to challenge the gym leader for a badge. Pretty please?"

"Do you even know who the leader is in Saffron?" The guard dug around behind his desk for a paper. He handed me a picture of someone, of two people, actually. One was a young woman, her eyes piercing through mine as I looked at the photo. The other was a little girl who looked a lot like the young woman. They were like sisters, almost.

"Is this her?"

"Sabrina, a Psychic Pokemon master. I'm personally amazed so many trainers get into Victory Road nowadays, with this nut-job running a gym."

"She's crazy?" I asked, now a bit confused. What's more, why was there a picture of her younger sister on the same paper? Did they run the gym together?

"She's certainly out there. Tell you what: I'll let you through, on account of the water you let me have, but believe you me, I wouldn't go near that gym if I were you. Matter of fact, Saffron has two gyms! I'd recommend the Fighting gym over Sabrina's. Their badge isn't worth as much, but I've heard stories of the Pokemon League accepting it as a substitute for Sabrina's."

The way the guard went on about Sabrina only made me more curious. How was she so dangerous? I mean, a Pokemon trainer could be a powerful person, with the right critters at their command, but this? Plus, the other gym sounded fake or cheap, and I didn't want to risk getting to Victory Road only to be turned away because one of my badges wasn't official. I'd have to face this Sabrina.

"Thank you, sir, for letting me through. But one more question: who's this?" I pointed to the picture of the little girl next to Sabrina. He made a shuddering noise, like simply thinking about her scared him.

"I'm not sure, but I've heard rumors. I'd rather not scare you away, so I'll let you hear them from other people. Enjoy your stay in Saffron City, and keep a low profile. You seem out of place, and they may kick you right back out."

~o~

It was still bright out, but for some reason there was this air of dread hovering over Saffron City. Maybe it was the tall buildings, but I just couldn't shake off this sense of doom around me. I was never one to believe in these bad feelings around places; ghosts were one thing, but just natural evil? What scared me more was that Vulpix was also on edge. At one point, it became too much for her, and she leapt into my arms. After a while of wandering around, I found the gym, tucked away in the middle of a park somewhere in the city. Unfortunately, there was someone blocking the entrance: a member of Team Rocket.

Now it all started to make sense. Lance said he was on the trail of Team Rocket, and the entire reason why Saffron was sealed was because they were using it as their HQ. Not very subtle, considering they drew attention to themselves by taking over an entire city, but I'm sure that Giovanni guy had a plan in mind. After all, he managed to sneak away when Lance raided the hideout in Celadon. I had to assume that since the city was locked, no one has tried to enter the gym, so that meant I had to try and get to the bottom of the Rocket problem before I could challenge Sabrina. It's just one obstacle after another, isn't it?

Of course, now the question was how do I find their HQ in the city. The easy way would be to get caught, and they'd probably just take me to see Giovanni again. Last time I got lucky, but I didn't want to risk losing my Pokemon again. So, I came up with a different idea. I reached for Clefairy's Pokeball.

Clefairy waltzed right up to the grunt guarding the gym door. Once he saw the rare Pokemon, he called it in on his radio. That was the signal, so Clefairy came running back to the bushes where I was hiding. After I put her back in her Pokeball, I moved to a different hiding spot in the park, but I still had a full view of the gym and the grunt. A little while later, a few more members showed up. I overheard the grunt tell them what he saw, and the other three went looking through the bushes where Clefairy was last seen. After a little while of searching, they obviously didn't turn up anything.

One of the three grunts yelled at the guard, and then left the scene. That was my cue, so I started shadowing them for a change. The grunts wandered around the city for a little while, but eventually ended up at a huge building somewhere in the center of town. A large sign outside read 'Silph Company'. Oddly enough, there were no guards at this building, but inside there were all sorts of Rocket members lounging about. It looked like this was their hideout after all.

For the rest of the day, I staked out the entrance of the Silph building, trying to see if there was any way to sneak in. Unfortunately, the entire first floor was covered in glass windows, so even if I got close to the door I'd be spotted before I could even open it. There was a back door, but it was under lock and chain. Day turned to night, and still I couldn't think of a better way to get in other than just be caught. I took off my Pokeball belt and strapped it on Vulpix.

"Stay here, Vulpix," I ordered her, pointing the spot where she was sitting. I had been hiding underneath a bush just outside the entrance to the building the whole time, and no one had noticed me yet.

"Stay here, and no matter what happens," I said, once again pointing to the spot where she was, "don't do anything until I tell you to."

Vulpix nodded, and stayed put. Of course, it wasn't until I went knocking on the front door of the Silph building that I realized a fatal flaw in my plan.

Just how was I going to let her know when I needed her?

~o~

"It's meetings like this," said Giovanni, grinning from his seat on the highest floor of the Silph building, "that really don't help your case."

"What do you mean?" I asked, now more confident than ever. Since he didn't have my Pokemon in custody, there was really nothing he could threaten me with. Other than hurting me, personally, that is. But would he really hurt a little girl?

"When you last 'stumbled' into my operation, I dismissed you as nothing more than a trainer who was at the wrong place at the wrong time. But twice? That, my dear, is not coincidence. The fact that you escaped the Celadon facility with Lance, now leads me to believe you're working for him."

Giovanni took a drink from his glass. It was probably wine or something, but all the same it looked delicious. I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast.

"So tell me, where are your Pokemon?"

"You tell me! You took them, remember?" Unlike last time, I had the pleasure of sitting down at the other end of the table from Giovanni this time, instead of being held in the arms of two of his grunts.

"You underestimate me. I saw you walk out of the Celadon facility with my own eyes." And that meant he saw Vulpix in my arms. I swallowed slowly, realizing he had just taken the upper hand.

"Your Pokemon will be found. I'm pretty sure they're hiding out somewhere in the city. In the meantime, you get to enjoy the hospitality of another one of my jail cells. That is, after one of my men check you."

"Ch-Check me?"

"For bugs. I've said only as much as I've wanted to say for Lance to listen in on. Take her."

The grunts forced me out of the chair, this time I was kicking and screaming the entire way. As far as I knew, I wasn't working with Lance, but on the off chance he was listening in, now would be the perfect time to swoop in and rescue me again.

The grunts took me down a few floors, throwing me into another holding cell. At least this one had something for me to sit down on. Not that I could sit down for long, within a few minutes, another grunt walked into the room, a female grunt. She locked the door behind her, and placed her briefcase on the floor.

"Stand up," she said, removing her uniform's leather glove. I followed her order, and watched as she replaced the leather glove with a clear one, the kind a doctor would use.

"What are you going to do?" I asked, backing away from her. She took a step forward.

"Boss asked me to search you for bugs. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way."

Fortunately for me, before she could get started, the door behind her was forced off its hinges, and in came Lance. The grunt reached for one of her Pokeballs, but Lance's Dragonite reached into the room and yanked her out like a plastic doll.

"Are you alright, Star?"

"A little scared, but I'm fine. How did you know where I was?" To answer me, Lance stepped aside, and in came Vulpix, with my belt still strapped to her.

"I'm sorry for using you, but I had a feeling you'd run into Team Rocket again if you came to Saffron, so I threw a bug into your bag, to track you down. I didn't expect you to actually go after them, or Giovanni to sniff me out."

"It's okay," I told him, strapping the belt back on my waist. "So, are we going to go fight him as a team?"

"No, you get out of the building as fast as you can. I'll take care of Giovanni myself."

Lance ran back outside the room, leaving me behind with Vulpix. Despite his order, I wasn't about to go running again. This time, I wanted to fight Team Rocket myself!

I followed Lance's trail of destruction all the way to the stairs. His Dragonite was too big to fit in an elevator, so I figured I'd beat him to the top by taking it myself. I pressed the call button, and after a few seconds, the doors opened, revealing a grunt inside!

"You! The girl from Mt Moon!" He yelled at me.

"Um, no! Wrong person!"

Of course, that wasn't going to stop him. He threw out a Pokeball, and out came a Weezing. Though I still didn't recognize the grunt personally, I now knew more or less who it was. Without his buddy, though, it was an even match this time.

"Vulpix, Ember!"

"Weezing, Smokescreen!"

Before Vulpix could move, Weezing let out a horrible cry, and out came a wave of blinding smoke. I could hardly see a thing, but I could still hear the grunt's laughter through all the smoke. I walked forward and grabbed Vulpix, darting through the smoke and straight into the elevator as it closed. Before the grunt realized what I had just done, I mashed the top floor button on the elevator.

"Sorry, but I have more important business to attend to!" I screamed through the doors. I could hear the grunt saying all sorts of bad words as the elevator rose.

When the elevator stopped on the highest floor, I ran into Lance again, just outside Giovanni's door. He was clearly not happy to see me again.

"Star, I told you to get out of the building!"

"Don't worry about me," I said, standing by him. "I can take care of myself. I'll even help you against Giovanni!"

Rather than waste time arguing with me, Lance ordered his Dragonite to smash open the door. Inside, Giovanni stood on the other end of the room, the table already smashed and in pieces before him. He let slip is evil grin, and Lance made the first move.

"Dragonite, catch him!"

"Lance, wait!" I screamed.

I tried to stop him, but it was too late. As soon As Dragonite got halfway towards Giovanni, his Nidoking came crashing down on Dragonite from above. With Dragonite pinned down, Nidoking awaited his next command.

"Nidoking, Horn Drill."

What happened next still haunts me to this day. Horn Drill, one of the few Pokemon abilities banned from use, and for good reason. I watched in horror, as did Lance, as Nidoking's horn began to rotate faster than we could see. It then drove the spinning horn into Dragonite's neck. Who's to say if Dragonite suffered much, but the spray of red that followed still chills me to the bone. Once the attack was done, Nidoking got off Dragonite's lifeless body.

"Consider that a warning. I shall not be crossed again, Lance!"

Giovanni jumped on Nidoking's back, and the massive Pokemon started digging right through the floor. Despite what had just happened to his Pokemon, Lance ran after Giovanni, watching as he continued to dig through floor after floor in the building. I didn't get closer, not wanting to see with a better view what became of Dragonite.

~o~

With Giovanni gone, the rest of Team Rocket scattered, and while the Saffron City Police tried their best to apprehend as many of them as possible, it didn't matter anymore. At least, not to Lance. I stood by his side the entire time after we left the building, even as he explained the policeman in charge what happened on the top floor with Giovanni. After a firm handshake between the two men, they went their separate ways. Before Lance left, though, he turned to me.

"Are you alright, Star?"

"Am I alright? I should be asking you!"

"It was my mistake that caused Dragonite's death. I am truly sorry you had to witness such a poor display of Pokemon training." Maybe this was just Lance's way of dealing with it, but I couldn't imagine such a fate befalling any of my Pokemon. Lance offered me a pat on the head, trying to help me forget what I had seen.

"Get some sleep, Star. You've earned it."

Lance once again disappeared into the night. I couldn't be certain, but I had a pretty good idea where he was headed. His Dragonite deserved a proper burial, and the only place fitting enough for the act was in Lavender Town. I, on the other hand, made for the Pokemon Center. I knew it was late, but I had a phone call to make. And I was certain Mom wouldn't mind waking up to answer the call.


	14. Psychic Master of Fear

Psychic Master of Fear, Chapter 14

Morning came, and once I was outside the Pokemon Center, everything seemed a bit brighter. What happened yesterday was behind me, but certainly not forgotten. I would never forget what I saw that day; that unspeakable act of cruelty by Giovanni. People like him didn't deserve to command Pokemon.

Giovanni wasn't my problem, though. He managed an escape last night, and now it was up to Lance to finish tracking him down. My newest challenge was the Saffron City Gym, and its mysterious leader. While the tense air around the city wasn't there anymore, I couldn't help but feel uneasy about this latest battle. Fortunately, Vulpix seemed to share in my hesitation, so I wasn't just being paranoid. Another little help was the fact that, once I turned a corner, I ran right into the little girl from the picture.

I stood there, frozen to the spot before her. She smiled underneath the large white hat she wore, but I couldn't see her eyes. After a small giggle, she turned around and ran away. I looked down at Vulpix, and she looked at me. By the time we both turned towards the direction of the little girl, she had disappeared. There were no turns for her to take to disappear from our line of sight the way she did. She had just vanished into thin air.

Well, after that little episode, I had to carry Vulpix the rest of the way to the gym. Couldn't blame the her for being spooked by the girl, but if Sabrina resorted to tricks like that to scare off challengers, I wasn't going to fall for it!

~o~

Within minutes, we were in front of the gym. After taking a deep breath, I reached out for the door, only to have it swing open on its own. Vulpix, like the chicken she was, tried to scurry out of my arms, but I held her down. Setting foot into the gym, the door closed behind us, which only scared Vulpix more. Maybe her Pokemon senses were telling her something I couldn't understand, or want to, but so far all Sabrina had proven was that she could press a button for automatic door openings.

The hallway towards the arena curved around, with plenty of doors along the way. All of them were locked, though, so she probably enjoyed funneling her challengers to her. Why else would she have so many extra doors there? Well, finally we arrived at a pair of large double doors, which also opened on their own to reveal the arena. Sitting on the far end, as was the routine, was Sabrina. The little girl in the white dress and hat was sitting on her lap.

I walked to the edge of the arena, placing Vulpix down. She growled at Sabrina for a moment, but then suddenly stopped. I could've sworn I felt a breeze pass me by, and after that Vulpix just scurried behind me and didn't say another word.

"Hello," I said, giving her a slight bow. "My name is Star. I've come to challenge you for a badge."

"State your conditions for battle." Somehow, Sabrina's voice carried throughout the room.

"My conditions? Isn't the gym leader supposed to make the rules?" This time, the little girl's giggle echoed throughout the arena.

"I know what you're afraid of," she said, her sweet voice echoing all around me. Short of them having a microphone, I couldn't see how that was possible.

"Wh-What are you talking about?" I stuttered. Seeing as how I wouldn't be naming my own terms for the battle, Sabrina spoke once more.

"The rules are as follows: your Pokemon, versus mine. You may use however many you wish to achieve victory." I was taken aback.

"As many as I want? Isn't that a bit unfair to you?"

"There is more: should you achieve victory, the Marshbadge will be yours. However, should you lose..."

"...you get to play with me!" The little girl finished Sabrina's sentence. By far the most bizarre conditions for a battle I'd ever seen, but it was Sabrina's rules. I looked down at Vulpix, but she certainly didn't want to battle now. Since Sabrina used Psychic Pokemon, I couldn't go with Mankey, either. For starters, I'd use Clefairy.

"The battle has begun." The little girl in Sabrina's lap released the Pokeball in her hands at Sabrina's command, and out came a tall yellow Pokemon. It was a Kadabra.

"Clefairy, Sing!"

"Confusion."

Clefairy stood there, was lifted off the ground, and thrown as fast as possible towards the ceiling. After crashing on it, and back down to the ground, Sabrina called her next attack.

"Psybeam."

Kadabra pointed at Clefairy, and several rainbow colored waves shot forth towards Clefairy. Before she could even move, they sent her flying all the way back at me. I managed to catch her in my arms, sparing her another bruise from the attack.

"Clefairy, are you alright?" I called out to her. She made a sound, but then passed out entirely.

"Choose your next Pokemon," Sabrina called out, though she didn't budge an inch from her seat. I put Clefairy back in her Pokeball, and reached for my next choice. Vulpix tugged at my dress, shaking her head at me. She didn't want me to continue the fight. All the same, I released Eevee next.

"Eevee, Tail Whip!"

Without even giving Sabrina a chance to order her next command, Eevee wagged his tail at Kadabra, throwing the Pokemon slightly off balance. Sabrina didn't say anything, but her Kadabra pointed at Eevee, and out of no where, he just froze in place.

"Eevee? What's wrong?" I yelled.

"Confusion."

Again, Kadabra pointed at Eevee, and I had to watch as he threw my Pokemon up to the ceiling like a ragged doll, and back down to the ground. Eevee still couldn't move, like he was frozen somehow. Sabrina hadn't even issued an order, and Kadabra fought back. How was that even possible?

"Psybeam."

Yet again, Sabrina's Pokemon pointed at Eevee, blasting it with another powerful psychic blast that sent him flying into my arms. Though Eevee wasn't out, he still couldn't move. I put him away, not wanting him to suffer anymore. Sabrina remained silent and still in her chair, the little girl in her lap giggling away.

"Do you give up?" The little girl mocked, holding out the Pokeball on her lap. She'd make that horrible Pokemon go away if I said yes, but I couldn't give up yet. It wasn't over. Vulpix still didn't look willing to battle, but willing or not, she was up next. I needed to start chipping away at Kadabra's health.

"Go on, Vulpix, you're next." She shook her head at me, not wanting to go out on the field. I couldn't blame her, after seeing two of her friends get pummeled like that, I wouldn't like to be next, either.

"Choose your next Pokemon," Sabrina called out. "Or forfeit the match."

"Vulpix, please, get out there." She didn't budge, shaking her head furiously. Finally, I lost it.

"GO!" This time, my voice echoed throughout the room. Vulpix silently marched out onto the arena, no longer looking to defy my orders. It hurt to have to yell at her like that, but I needed her best out there against Kadabra.

"Confusion."

"Vulpix, run!"

I didn't know if it was possible to outrun being pointed at, but it couldn't hurt to try. Vulpix darted to the left, while Kadabra tried to keep his finger locked on Vulpix. It didn't take more than a few seconds, before she was lifted off the ground. I needed a different strategy.

"Use Ember, quick!"

As Vulpix was launched into the ceiling, she let loose dozens of small fires over Kadabra, a few of which landed on him and broke his concentration. Vulpix fell back to the ground, just barely missing the ceiling beforehand. I wasted no time.

"Flamethrower, now!"

She opened her mouth, and covered the Pokemon in fire. The battle was starting to look up. After the attack ended, Kadabra was left tired and heavily burned. I couldn't risk any last minute attacks, so I ordered up the final blow.

"Vulpix, Quick Attack now!"

"Recover."

Vulpix dashed toward Kadabra at extreme speeds, but just as she tackled the Pokemon to the ground, every burn and trace of damage on its body vanished before our eyes. If psychic Pokemon were capable of healing themselves, just how was any trainer supposed to beat them?

"Psybeam."

Vulpix being so close to Kadabra this time, he had no trouble locking on to her. I shouted for her to start running again, but it was too late. The colorful waves smashed into her, sending her flying towards the wall on the other end of the gym. She tried to get up, but just fell over. Forgetting the rules, I ran over to her.

"Vulpix! Are you alright?" She was just knocked out, but that attack probably hurt. I reached for a potion in my bag.

"You have forfeit the match by entering the arena. I am the victor." Sabrina's words didn't matter at that moment, only Vulpix did. I sprayed the potion on her body, hoping it would help her rest easier. I heard the Kadabra be recalled into its Pokeball, and the giggle of the little girl. I picked Vulpix up and turned around.

"You lost," she said, now standing behind me. "Now you have to play with me."

"I'm sorry, but I have to get to the Pokemon Center," I told her, starting towards the door. When I got to them, they slammed shut in front of my face. I tried opening the doors myself, but they were locked tight. I turned around, and there was the little girl again.

"Please, Sabrina!" I called to the adult on the other side of the room. "I have to get Vulpix there as soon as possible!"

"The rules were clear," she said, not moving from her chair. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Vulpix is hurt badly, and you want me to play around? Are you crazy!?"

"You shouldn't be so mean," said the little girl in front of me. I looked down at her, but she wasn't looking up at me. "I know what you're afraid of."

"I'm afraid that Vulpix might be hurt, and you two won't let me out of here!" She shook her head.

"You're not afraid of Vulpix dying, you're afraid of me." I took a step back, ending up against the door. It was true they were really starting to creep me out, but it didn't change the fact I was scared for Vulpix more.

"What are you talking about?"

"You're afraid of losing, of falling behind your friends," she said, her voice somehow getting louder with every word. "You're afraid of being left behind, that you're not on their level."

"Please, just let me go." I said, my voice getting quieter.

"You promised to play with me if you lost," she said, not moving from her spot. "I want you to keep your promise."

"Sabrina! Please!" I yelled back to the adult on the other side of the arena. Her face didn't move, it was almost like she wasn't even breathing.

"I want a playmate," the girl said, looking up at me for the first time. "Or would you prefer to be the plaything?"

I felt Vulpix getting heavier in my arms, and my bag as well. I tried to keep both in check, but before I knew it the bag was touching the floor, and Vulpix was just too big for me to carry anymore. The girl was now the same size as me, or rather, I was her size! I put Vulpix down next to me bag, realizing I had somehow been shrunk. Trying to make sense of it all, I looked at the girl again, her eyes still hidden underneath that hat. Ignoring her for a moment, I turned to Sabrina.

"I want a rematch, Sabrina! Right now! I still have some Pokemon left!" I screamed in desperation.

"You're not old enough to challenge me. I suggest you make good on your promise first."

I felt my heart stop for a second. Now, I wasn't just smaller in size, but my clothes were too big on me! She had made me into a little kid again! The little girl walked up to me, a ball in her hands.

"Let's play catch!" Before I could react, she bounced the ball towards me, but I ducked for cover instead of trying to catch it. Whatever these two were doing to me was too much, and I just wanted to get out. I scurried to my bag and Vulpix, but tripped on my dress. The little girl walked up to me.

"She's too little to play with me, now. I want a dolly instead!"

"No, please! Don't hurt me anymore!" I cried out, tears welling up in my eyes. If they had the power to shrink me, they could probably even turn me into a doll or some other toy. I covered my head, crying, hoping they wouldn't do anything else to me. For a moment I felt my body get lighter than a feather, and then all I saw was a bright flash.

~o~

"Are you alright?"

The voice was familiar, but it wasn't Sabrina's. I looked up, seeing Nurse Joy. We were outside the Pokemon Center. I looked at my body, and breathed a sigh of relief; I was back to normal. Next to me was my bag and Vulpix, still out cold.

"Could you take Vulpix in? She's hurt, and my Pokemon, too!" I gave her my belt, and then Vulpix in her arms. She ran back inside the center. The day was still quite pleasant, so I was finding it hard to believe everything that had just happened. Then, as if to remind me, I heard that giggle once more. I turned around, and there was the little girl again.

"I don't like crybabies," she said. "Next time you come to my gym and you lose, don't expect to go back on your promise."

Before my very eyes, the girl vanished. The silence of the city now wasn't as pleasant. I grabbed my bag and ran inside the center. There were a few people inside, everyone going about their business. Behind the counter, Nurse Joy gave me a sign that my Pokemon were getting treated. I took a seat, trying to get my thoughts together.

Just what was that little girl? She could vanish, move around without being seen, even change people's sizes and ages. Sabrina just sat there the entire time, staring at me as I begged for help. Or maybe she was the one doing it all? When I asked for a rematch, she said I wasn't old enough, and then I instantly turned into a little girl again. So who was the little girl in the white dress? A ghost?

I could go for days trying to piece together everything that I had seen in there, and it still wouldn't do me any good. If I was going to challenge her again, I'd need to go in with a foolproof strategy. Like the little girl threatened: I wouldn't get away again.

I pulled out my encyclopedia, flipping to the page about Kadabra. The only way to truly beat one was to finish it in a single attack, otherwise all your work would just be undone by Recover. I saw that Vulpix wasn't strong enough to beat him in one blow, so I'd have to find some other way of winning. I closed the encyclopedia and sat back in my chair. How could I do enough damage in a single shot to win this fight?

Then it hit me!

I'd been battling differently against Sabrina, so I almost forgot my own style. After piecing together a few details in my head, I ran up to the counter to collect my Pokemon. Like the battle with Surge in Vermillion City, I wasn't even going to give Sabrina a chance to rest up. Our next battle wouldn't be a repeat of the first.

~o~

"The same rules apply. Use as many Pokemon as you desire to achieve victory. Loss carries the same condition as before."

"I understand," I said, reaching for Dratini's Pokeball first. Once my Pokemon was out, the little girl on Sabrina's lap released that Kadabra again. The fear that once kept Vulpix at bay was gone now, and with it my own fear. I would not be made into her plaything a second time.

"Confusion." As I expected, Sabrina wasn't changing her battle plan.

"Stay still, Dratini!"

This time, I saw a hint of emotion in Sabrina's eyes. Kadabra pointed towards Dratini, lifting him off the ground.

"Thunder Wave, now!"

The nub on her head started to glow, and despite being launched into the ceiling, Dratini managed to shoot the wave of paralysis towards Kadabra. Because he was in the middle of the Confusion attack, he could not evade the attack. Paralyzed, Kadabra had no choice but to drop the Confusion attack and let Dratini go. She had still taken a bit of a beating from the ceiling, but she'd be alright after some rest. I called her back, and released Clefairy next.

"Recover."

By the time Clefairy was ready for action, Kadabra was finishing up its action. All was going according to plan.

"Clefairy, Sing!"

Clefairy's voice filled the room, lulling Kadabra into a deep sleep. Once again, Kadabra was occupied completing its previous command, and couldn't react fast enough to negate Clefairy's attack. I recalled her, and reached for the next Pokeball. I released Eevee, and noticed that Kadabra was just about to wake up. I had to move fast.

"Eevee, Sand-Attack!"

Eevee ran up to Kadabra, waiting for the moment when he just woke up. At that instant, Eevee kicked up a small blast of dust he scratched off the floor, forcing it right into Kadabra's eyes. The Pokemon stepped back a bit, trying to regain its vision. Again, I recalled Eevee, and released Dratini.

"Dratini, Thunder Wave!"

"Confusion."

Sabrina had enough of my swapping game, by the look of it. Kadabra tried to focus on Dratini, but couldn't get a clear shot at her. The nub on her head shot forth another electrical wave, paralyzing Kadabra again. And again, I recalled Dratini.

"No fair! You can't do that!" The little girl was also getting tired of the same strategy, but they couldn't do anything. Sabrina allowed me to use any Pokemon I wanted. I reached for the next Pokeball, Mankey. This was the last part of the fight. Once he was out, Sabrina took to the offensive again.

"Psybeam."

"Run, Mankey, and go in for the Karate Chop!"

Kadabra opened his eyes, trying to get a lock on Mankey, but was forced to close them again. Mankey ran around the yellow Pokemon, got up behind him, and delivered a powerful chop to his back. Kadabra fell forward, his body not used to taking direct physical blows. Mankey was at the disadvantage here, but Kadabra could hardly move at this point.

"Recover."

"Don't let him, Mankey! Low Kick!"

Kadabra raised its hand to activate Recover, but shuddered a bit. The paralysis slowed him down just enough for Mankey to deliver the final blow. Kadabra went rolling towards the center of the arena, no longer able to battle. We had won!

The little girl got off Sabrina's lap, and the gym leader finally rose from her chair as well. She recalled Kadabra. After a moment of expecting a second Pokemon, she declared me the winner.

"Congratulations, you've earned your Marshbadge." She produced the badge from her pocket, sending it my way via telekinesis. That surprised me a bit, but I reminded myself that it was only natural for Sabrina to be able to use psychic powers as well. Once the badge was in my hand, I attached it to the back of my trainer card. I looked over to recall Mankey, when I noticed he was glowing. Mankey was evolving!

After a few seconds, Mankey was no longer the short-tempered, furry friend I knew, but a much larger, shorter-tempered ape. He was now a Primeape. After giving my new Pokemon friend a hug, I put him back in his Pokeball, and finally met face to face with Sabrina. The little girl stood beside her, not saying a word.

"Can I ask you something?" She nodded.

"How did you do that, last time? How did you shrink me, or even make me a little girl again?"

"Psychic powers allow for many things," she said slowly. "But their greatest powers are that of the mind. You saw only what I wanted you to see. There is no power in the world to reverse age."

"So, you mean it was all in my head?" Sabrina nodded again, then turned and returned to her chair. There was still one question on my mind, though.

"Why that? Why make me think I was little again?"

"Only you can answer that. I only gave you a taste of your greatest fear: to be dismissed for what people think you are. I don't do it out of malice, only to help you see a clear path to victory. Go now, your task here is complete."

The doors behind me swung open slowly. Sabrina wouldn't say anything else, so I picked Vulpix up and walked out.

~o~

I left the gym, Vulpix galloping about, now that we were finally through with Saffron City. I gave another look at the back of my trainer card, seeing the five badges shining in the sun. I didn't linger on the badges, and instead looked at the picture on the card. My smiling face looked back at me, Vulpix covering up a part of the photo.

Sabrina didn't lie, neither did she just make up what she said. I hadn't wanted to admit it, but since the moment Deneb left for his Pokemon adventure, I had that nagging feeling at the back of my mind. The thought that everyone else was going off to grow up, leaving me behind. I was the kid sister no one wanted around, the brat that everyone left behind after bailing her out of a jam. Gary, Deneb, even Lance. My Pokemon journey wasn't about entering Victory Road, it was about proving I was old enough to do it.

I put my card back in my wallet. Vulpix stared at me, asking to be carried again. Instead, I pulled out the box from my bag, unfolding my bike and attaching the basket to the front. Once Vulpix had jumped in, I got on and started riding. Saffron City was one place I had no intention of returning to for a long, long time.


	15. Cycling Grand Prix

Cycling Grand Prix, Chapter 15

After passing through the west gate of Saffron, and showing off my latest badge to the friendly guard, I crossed Route 7 again and ended up back in Celadon City. My next destination was Fuchsia City in the far south, and there were two routes leading there. Either go east from Vermillion City, taking Route 11 to 12, and crossing a few other routes along the way, or take the more direct Cycling Road, also known as Route 17. Well, seeing as how I was already back in Celadon, the choice was pretty clear: Cycling Road.

Before I set out on my way, though, I needed to restock on supplies, so I pulled up to the department store. As usual, the first floor was empty, but I was certain at least two floors would be packed to brim. Rather than leave it for last, I pushed the button for the second floor first. After another gleeful ride up, the elevator doors slowly opened, and the madness on the floor flooded my ears. I told Vulpix to stay by the elevator, and pushed my way into the crowd.

I couldn't imagine how anyone got any shopping done like that, being sandwiched between half a dozen strangers as you collect your items, but if the floor was always this way, who was I to complain? I was pushed along with the flow of the crowd, swooping up the items I was going to buy along the way. Figured it was much easier than actually trying to move anyone to get where I was going, seeing as how I was probably the smallest person there. Eventually, the river of people washed me up at the checkout counter.

The cashier rang up every item in ten seconds flat, pointing to the display on the register with the grand total. I reached into my wallet for the money, put it out on the counter, and was just as quickly pushed aside with my items in my hands as the next customer took my spot. Whether or not I paid in full was anyone's guess at this point. The crowd started pushing me away from the elevator, so I hugged my bag of items, got down on my hands and knees, and crawled my way through to the elevator. I scared the people in the process as I brushed by their legs, but what mattered was that I made it to the elevator faster.

Once inside, I rejoined Vulpix and pressed the button for the rooftop. I wanted to pick up some bottled water for the trip down Cycling Road tomorrow, especially since it was getting late. I didn't want to end up sleeping along the way to Fuchsia. On the rooftop, I ran into someone I didn't expect to see for a while.

"Deneb!" He turned to see me as I got off the elevator. He was enjoying a can of lemonade from the vending machines.

"Star! What a surprise to see you here!" He offered me a seat next to him, which I gladly went to take. Vulpix beat me to it, though, so I ended up sitting across from him on a different bench.

"How have you been? We haven't seen each other since Cerulean City." I said, craving some lemonade of my own as I saw him take another sip.

"Oh you know, the usual. After Cerulean I had to crawl through the Rock Tunnel to get to Lavender Town, and from there I went south to Vermillion City. How about you?"

"I just came from Saffron!" I said, reaching for my trainer card, eager to show off my accomplishments. I handed him the card, which he quickly flipped over to see the five badges I had on it.

"Congratulations, Star. Don't know how you did it, but you beat me to it." He gave me back my card.

"So you haven't been to Saffron yet?"

"No, I just came up here to rest after my battle with Erika. Quite a pain to get into her gym, let me tell you." He took another sip, pushing me to the point of getting up to buy a can for myself.

"What do you mean? She was very nice to me."

"Well, you're a girl! I had to pass some test of perfume or something to be allowed in, almost thought I'd have to dress up like a girl to be allowed a chance to battle her. Tomorrow, I'll be heading to Saffron, now that the city's been opened up again. You didn't have anything to do with that, did you?"

"Well, as a matter of fact-" I started, but Deneb cut me off after taking another drink from his can.

"Nah, what am I saying? You probably just lucked out and got in right after Team Rocket scattered. Tell me, how did you make it to Vermillion City so fast?"

"Well, I went to visit Bill, up on Route 25. I helped him out with a little problem he was having, and he let me have a couple train tickets."

"So you took the line from Cerulean to Vermillion, and then Lavender to Celadon, is that it?" I nodded, and Deneb took another drink from his lemonade.

"Talk about lucky. I go crawling through caves and fighting off hordes of Zubat and you take a nice train ride."

"It doesn't mean I had it any easier! The gym battles have been quite a challenge," I said, remembering my most recent one. "Sabrina of Saffron was extra hard!"

"I've heard from people who've fought her," Deneb said, reaching for a Pokeball on his belt. He held it out to me. "Which is why I'm going prepared."

"What kind of Pokemon is that?"

"A ghost Pokemon from Lavender's Pokemon Tower. It's the best way to counter psychic Pokemon. You probably had a hard time because you went in unprepared."

Deneb scratched behind Vulpix's ear. Vulpix knew Deneb well, so she didn't mind, but his attitude was starting to get on my nerves. I was about to call Vulpix to my side when he continued.

"I bet you probably went in with Vulpix, expecting to win on luck alone, right?" He smiled at me, but I couldn't help myself anymore.

"Deneb, why are you being so mean?"

"What?" The question surprised him. Vulpix understood what I was asking, and she ran to my side instead.

"You keep acting like I've been taking the easy road, like I've won my badges with luck instead of hard work. Are you mad I have more badges than you?"

"No, that's not it, Star-"

"Then what is!?" My outburst caused him to turn away. He probably realized what he was saying all this time.

"You've changed, Deneb. You're not the same boy I knew in Pallet Town." My fists were clenched around the hem of my dress.

"What are you talking about? I haven't changed."

"Yeah, you have. When we met, out on Route 22, you were still so nice then. You helped me get Vulpix to the Pokemon Center, and you even tried to get me to go back home. Maybe you did that because you were worried about me- I hope that was the reason." This time, I looked away, knowing that if I faced him directly, I'd probably start crying. I was never good at hiding my feelings from people I knew.

"Of course it was, Star. I knew this adventure would be too much for you, I just didn't want to see you get hurt."

"Really, Deneb? Or is it that you didn't want to hang around me?" Again, he reeled back from the question.

"When we met again in Cerulean, I asked you to let me come along, and you said no. Back then, I thought the Pokemon journey was supposed to be done alone, but now, I don't know anymore." By this point, I was angry enough to have stood up.

"Star, are you okay?"

"I'm not, Deneb. Sabrina made me realize something. Everyone I run into is so helpful, but at the same time, they don't want to be around me for long. Sabrina said I was afraid, that people didn't want to stay because I'd be another problem for them, a kid they'd have to take care of. Is that what you thought of me, Deneb?"

The entire time I spoke, her words echoed in my mind. But at the same time, my eyes were focused on Deneb's face. I wanted to see every reaction possible.

"No, Star, not at all!"

"I don't believe you," I said, turning away again. I walked over to the vending machine, hoping that the distance would help clear my mind.

"So Sabrina says all these things, and you just believe her? She's a psychic, Star! They say all sorts of messed up things, just to confuse you! It's how they fight!"

I pushed in a few coins into the machine. Maybe Deneb was right, and I was letting Sabrina's words get to me. But at the same time, I couldn't be sure. I mean, it was all too prefect; everything seemed to fit. Or maybe I was just confused. The bottle of water fell out of the machine, I picked it up, and put it in my bag.

"I'm sorry, Deneb," I said, as I turned to see him one last time. "I probably shouldn't have said any of that."

"Let me ask you, Star: is that what you think I feel?" I turned away, not sure how to answer.

"Well, let me tell you: it's not how I feel." Deneb walked over to me, giving me a hug from the side.

"Really?" I asked, feeling tears start to form in my eyes.

"Really. I asked to go on this adventure alone, Star, because I wanted it to be that way. But remember: I made you a promise, and I intend to keep it."

I felt a tear fall down my cheek. I couldn't look at Deneb now, he'd only make fun of me for crying. I nodded, and he let go of me. Still looking away, I said one final thing to him.

"You promised," I said, wiping away the tear, "You promised that we'd go through Victory Road together. After we meet in Viridian City again."

"Yeah, and I mean it still. The last gym is there, so we'll have to show up there eventually."

"Then, I guess I'll see you there. Bye, Deneb."

I made for the elevator, walking as fast as I could without actually running. Vulpix followed after me, and fortunately I didn't have to wait for the door to open after pressing the button. Once I was inside, I pressed the button for the first floor. As the doors closed in front of me, I looked up.

Deneb was watching me as they closed shut. And maybe it was just me, but he looked hurt by everything that had happened.

~o~

I spent the night at the Pokemon Center, as was usual. Difference was, I hadn't stayed at the Celadon center before, so it turned out to be a new experience for the most part. I liked the hotel room better, obviously. But there was no way I'd ever be able to stay at a place like that again if it meant I had to pay for it.

Meeting Deneb at the department store yesterday helped me a lot more than I realized at the time. He was right, after all: I had been letting what Sabrina told me confuse me. Though he had changed a bit since Cerulean City, one thing about Deneb hadn't changed; he still looked out for me, and not for the reasons Sabrina said.

With all that behind me, I took to my bike and left Celadon the next morning, heading west to Route 16. It was a short road, but today it was far more crowded than I ever expected it to be. As was my luck, I had run right into another event: this time, it was a Cycling Championship race. And fortunately for me, I was riding a bike.

At the moment Cycling Road was closed off for the event, so I couldn't just be on my merry way. As was expected, it's either participate in the race to get across Route 17, or wait until the race was over. Win or lose, I'd make it across to the other side, so I pulled up to the registration tent set up by the starting line. Leaving Vulpix in charge of my bike, I poked my head inside.

"You signing up for the race?" One of the few people taking applications pointed at me, so I walked over to the table.

"Yes, I'd like to join."

"Name?"

"Star."

"What type of bicycle do you intend to enter with?" My mind drew a blank here. Mine was custom made by the Vermillion City shop guy, and I don't think he ever had a name for it, other than...

"Foldable," I said, which made the guy signing me up look away from his paper and to me.

"'Foldable'? What is that?"

"Um, I don't really know. My bike is special."

"Everyone's bike is special, dear. Bring it into the tent, I'll see what the model is myself."

I ran back outside, and dragged the bike inside the tent. There wasn't much room with the other people signing up, but I managed to squeeze it in along the edges of the tent. The guy leaned over the table, trying to find a tag or marking on the bike. I could've just explained to him that it was hand made, but I decided to just let him figure that out for himself. After a few moments of scouring every inch of the bike, he crashed back into his chair.

"I have a bike here with no make or model, what do I do?" He asked the guy sitting next to him.

"Take it up with Erika. She's promoting this whole thing, so it's her call."

The guy signing me up sighed, and asked me to leave the bike inside the tent and come around the back. I followed his orders, and we went out the back of the tent. There were quite a few other people out here, all underneath the shade a few parasols. One of them was Erika, the gym leader!

"Miss Erika, we have a girl here with a custom bike. Can't determine make or model. Do we let her in?"

"Hmm? Is that you, Star?" Erika walked past the guy to greet me personally.

"How are you, Erika?" I said with a smile.

"Fine, just organizing another event for the city. Between this and my gym duties, I keep pretty busy."

"Miss Erika, the race is scheduled to begin soon." The guy whispered in her ear, but still loud enough that I could hear him.

"Oh, right. So, Star, you're trying to get in with a special bike?"

"Yes, it was hand-made by someone that worked in a bicycle shop in Vermillion City. He never had a name for it, just called it the foldable bike."

"Oh? Foldable? Does it truly fold into something smaller?" The guy behind Erika buried his face in his hands, realizing she'd be interested in seeing the bike herself. I nodded, and led Erika back into the tent to show her the bike.

It was still pretty crowded in there, but I was able to fold the bike back into its compact form, and squeeze it into its box right inside the tent. Everyone inside was impressed, some even giving me a round of applause. Erika asked me to follow her back to the area behind the tent.

"Quite a bicycle you have there. A shop in Vermillion City, you said?"

"Yeah, the guy was desperate to sell, but he let me have mine, so that I could show it off to other trainers." Which I probably just did without realizing it. He'd be so proud of me, I guessed.

"Miss Erika," the guy said again, this time even tapping the imaginary watch on his wrist.

"Allow Star to enter the race, for the bicycle information, put down 'Vermillion City Shop, Foldable'. I'll clear it with the mayor later."

The guy was finally happy, scribbling the information into the pad. He ran back inside the tent, and quickly returned with an ID card attached to a lanyard. He gave it to me, and returned to the tent.

"Well, it was nice to see you again, Star, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to go back to the starting line. Unless you're an official, you're not exactly allowed back here."

"It's okay, Erika. Nice seeing you again!"

I told Vulpix to follow me back into the tent when it happened. She brushed up by my leg, and caused me to trip. I reached for the first thing I could, and it ended up being one of the rods holding up the sign-up tent. As you'd expect, the entire thing fell apart. In all the commotion, I managed to sneak out from underneath the tarp and take a spot on the starting line. I think the guy that signed me up was looking specifically for me, but he never found me in the crowd.

After unfolding my bike again, I waited somewhere in the middle of all the racers. Most were older than me, all riding various kinds of bikes that looked designed for racing. Actually, from where I was standing, I think I may have been the only kid participating in the race. Not that it mattered to me, I wasn't in it to win. With Vulpix in the front basket as usual, I only waited for the starting sound off. In that moment, I saw another familiar face in the line up. Moving from my spot to one a few towards the left, I squeezed in my bike between a mean looking character and David!

"Well, well, if it isn't Star. Fancy meeting you here."

"Same! You're here to try and win the prize?" Unlike my little toy bike, David was riding a more traditional model.

"Not exactly. After we last met on the train to Vermillion, I got right to work on my latest project: a shortcut from Vermillion to Pewter City."

"Really? How did you manage that?"

"An underground cave, dug by a massive herd of Diglett and Dugtrio. It would've made front page news, but sadly, at that same time, something big happened in Saffron's Silph building, so there went my spotlight." Of course, I instantly knew what he was talking about. Rather than tell him I was involved in all that somehow, I decided to keep quiet.

"It's okay, it's still quite an accomplishment! So, why is it you're in the race?"

"Just needed a faster route to Fuchsia. I'm meeting up with my parents there for a little family vacation. Saffron isn't exactly very welcoming these days."

"I know, I was there a few days ago, collecting a gym badge."

"Then I take it you're in this race for the same reasons as I?" I nodded.

"Then how about a little friendly competition, just between you and I? Whichever makes it to the finish line first wins?"

"What's the prize?" If it was just David, I was pretty sure victory was a possibility.

"My father told me he had a rare Pokemon waiting for me in Fuchsia. Winner takes the Pokeball?"

"A Pokemon? Isn't that a little too much for just a friendly race?" Not that I wouldn't mind another potential friend in my group, but it still felt like David was betting too much on this race.

"Nonsense. I'm no Pokemon trainer like you. If I were to keep the Pokemon, chances are it wouldn't see the light of day often. I have a feeling it'll be in better hands with you. So, at least try to win?"

"You know," I said, hopping on my bike and getting ready to take off, "I think I'm feeling much more motivated to win this race!"

~o~

Despite being ready, the race didn't start for another hour almost, so I ended up getting off the bike, back on, and off again a few times. I even had to return to Celadon City for a little while to use the bathroom! Well, after all was said and done, Erika finally came out of the tent to announce that the race would finally begin. She stood on the edge of the slope of Cycling Road, holding a large checkered flag in her hands. She raised it into the air, but didn't lower it quite yet.

"Good luck to everyone participating in the race!"

And the flag went down.

Instantly, every bike on that slope shot forward, everyone trying to keep a fair distance from each other. The slope wasn't very steep, but still enough that bike speeds would be pretty dangerous. A single topple would send you crashing. Of course, about a dozen bikes zoomed past everyone else, and most of the other racers fell behind me. We were split into three groups, but what mattered was that I had a clear view of David to my right.

This race wasn't a matter of Pokemon battling, so it almost felt a bit strange to be participating in it myself. Still, one look at Vulpix as she enjoyed the breeze in her face made it all worthwhile. A Pokemon journey couldn't be all about battling and badges. This entire time, I was just letting my bike go at the speed of the slope, not exactly trying too hard to go any faster. Though, that changed when I saw David gaining plenty of speed and distance ahead of me. I caught onto the pedals with my feet, and started spinning them as fast as I could. David stayed ahead, but I was slowly gaining on him.

Vulpix noticed, and started cheering me on as we got closer and closer to David. We reached a level part of the road, the midway point of Route 17, with a large pond in the center. Luckily, I was pretty far to the right end of the road, so I didn't end up like a couple of the bikers that were in the lead, crashing right into the pond. Between them and David just in front of us, Vulpix didn't know what to cheer about anymore. She was having more fun than me!

When the slope returned, I managed to get up along David's side. Unlike me, he was just enjoying the ride, while I was there sweating like crazy just trying to play catch-up. He gave me a smile, a smug one, but he always had that expression on if he wasn't busy reading. Suddenly energized by the hope of beating him, I pedaled harder than ever before. Vulpix stood on her hind legs, raising her front legs up like she was in a roller coaster ride or something. I, on the other hand, didn't dare look back. The finish line was just a little while ahead, I'd know then if I beat David or not.

The tape at the finish line had long since been cut by someone else, but I was certain I had beaten David to the end. I stopped the pedals on the bike, causing the wheels to screech a little, even make the bike wobble enough to throw me off and into a patch of tall grass at the end. After I was helped out by a few of the other racers, I saw David pull in nice and slow. He hadn't even tried to win.

"Congratulations, Star, you won." He said with that same smug smile.

"Did you even try to win?" I continued to pull leaves and blades of grass from my hair.

"Of course, I was giving it all I had. I think I even broke a sweat!" David's trademark grin. Never understood him, really.

"So, shall we go to Fuchsia together from here?" I said as I tried to fix my hair up a bit. I wasn't one for looking my best at all times, but it was a matter of preventing knots in my long, brown hair.

"I think that would be lovely. If you don't mind, could we perhaps walk there? I have to return the bicycle I was using, I only borrowed it for the race."

"That's okay, I think I've had enough cycling for one day."


	16. Wacky Safari Party

Wacky Safari Party, Chapter 16

Fuchsia City, a new place to see, and new sights to wonder at. Up until then, all the cities and towns I'd been to all looked alike. Sure, each had its own sights and charms, but only Fuchsia made me feel like I was finally in a faraway land. From the way the houses and buildings looked, to the way people dressed, everything felt like something out of a travel destinations book. And to guide me through all this wonder was David, the absolute worst possible travel guide ever. I was somewhere new, it's only natural I'd want to explore the city a bit before getting right to work at the gym. David, however, only led me to one place in the city: his house.

Well, vacation home, is more accurate. After all, David was from Saffron City, but he said his family had vacation places almost all over the world. According to him, there were more kinds of Pokemon than I could possibly imagine, just that they weren't native to the Kanto region. Though my adventure was just to acquire the eight badges needed to enter Victory Road, David's tales of these new kinds of Pokemon, as well as other places to see, made me want to continue even after I had my eight badges. Of course, I was getting a bit ahead of myself.

Inside his house, I was finally introduced to David's family. There was his mom, a very kind person that dressed like she was in some kind of magazine, with such a gorgeous dress the sparkled in the light. And there was David's dad, who looked just like David, only with a beard and a mustache. Of course, the evening wouldn't be complete without some kind of misunderstanding, and I was to be the center point of the joke.

"My, my, David, isn't she a little too young?"

"Too young for what?" I asked, blissfully unaware of what his mom was talking about.

"Too young to be his girlfriend!"

~o~

I won't bother going through the messy clean up after that little event. It took David and me a few minutes, but we managed to straighten everything out with his parents. Rather, I was the one that did most of the clean up. As usual, David just shrugged his shoulders and kept that smirk plastered on his face. Had he no sense of shame or embarrassment?

His dad wasn't too happy about having to give me the Pokemon he got his son as a gift, but a deal was a deal, and not even David's dad would stomp on a promise. Of course, before I could take the Pokeball, I had to choose which of my critters would be whisked away to storage center. It was, after all, against League rules to carry more than six Pokemon at a time, though I wasn't exactly sure how to send a Pokemon off, having never done so. Fortunately, David showed me to his computer, a wonder of the Pokemon world.

Since I never had a need to access the Pokemon Storage System, I never used one of these computers. It was actually very simple though, just input your Trainer ID, access the Storage System, and then just place the Pokeball on the pad next to the screen. I ended up choosing Beedrill to go, though it wasn't easy doing even that. I wished I could travel with all my friends, but why fight it? Once Beedrill's Pokeball was on the pad, David hit a button on the computer, and the machine zapped my Pokeball, sending it far away to sit in a some box until I needed him again.

Well, after that painful experience, David's dad handed me the Pokeball, and of course, without even asking permission, I released the Pokemon within. It ended up being a big mistake. The Pokemon inside was a Lapras, a large water Pokemon that did some real damage to the inside of the vacation home. I couldn't even greet him properly before I was forced to recall Lapras and make a run for my life. David's dad was furious.

"Don't worry about it, Star," David told me, after finding me on the other side of town about an hour after that.

"We have plenty of money to cover what was broken, and Dad won't try and make you pay for it all." That alone was a huge relief, though I didn't say it aloud.

"Tell him I'm really, really sorry," I said, holding Lapras's Pokeball in my hands. "I didn't mean it."

"Of course not, he knows you were probably just excited to meet your newest Pokemon. Dad's just a little wound up at the moment, so he kind of flew off the handle there." David took a seat next to me, looking up at the orange sky.

"How is your family so rich?" I asked, making small talk and genuinely curious.

"Silph Corporation." I looked at him, shocked at the answer.

"You mean, you own Silph in Saffron City? That big building in the middle of the city?"

"Not entirely, but we are major players in the company. It was actually a stroke of luck I wasn't in Saffron when Team Rocket took over, otherwise things probably would've been much worse. Though, I heard from Dad that they really did a number on the building, something about every floor having a giant hole in it."

"That was Giovanni's fault," I said, before going into a short version of what had happened at the building the night I was there. David didn't express his surprise on his face, though he did say he was surprised all the same.

"So you were the mystery trainer everyone was talking about?"

"What do you mean?" As far as I knew, Lance's work inside the building was secret.

"The paper said Team Rocket was thwarted by a pair of Pokemon trainers, but no one knew who they were. Rumor is there was a man and woman, but I guess they muddled the facts a bit." He grinned.

"You're saying I'm not a woman?" I looked at David closely, but the guy never does anything other than smile in that smarmy manner.

"I'm saying there's no guarantee this second trainer was a man, unless you'd like to come clean about it all." Way to dodge the question.

"I'd rather keep it a secret." I got up from the grass, figuring it was time to head on over to the Pokemon Center for the night.

"You're welcome to come back to my place," David said, getting up after me. "I'm sure Dad wouldn't turn you away, despite what happened."

"It's okay, I've been enough of a bother already. Tell him I'm sorry, though. I really am!"

"Then how about one last gift?" I stopped, not sure why David was being so friendly all of a sudden.

"Gift? For what?"

"Just because I can. Fuchsia is home to the Safari Zone, a wide field where all kinds of rare and exotic Pokemon live. How about spending the day there with me tomorrow?"

"The whole day?" I already had something of a plan, if you recall.

"Or less, it's your choice. There's plenty to see, and who knows, you might catch a few new Pokemon."

"Well, I think I can spare a day. Meet me at the Pokemon Center tomorrow?"

"It's a date!" His smile grew a little bit wider.

Though David said it like it was the most ordinary occurrence in the world, I couldn't help but blush a bit at the thought. I knew David didn't mean it in the romantic sense, but he was the first person to ever actually say we were on a date together. Before he could notice my blush, I turned away and started walking towards the Pokemon Center. With Vulpix at my side, I had a feeling it would be a most memorable day.

~o~

I don't think I have to explain to you what the Safari Zone is, but at the time, I wasn't sure myself what it was. I had heard about it in school: this place where people could catch Pokemon out in the wild, but I always thought everywhere outside towns was like that. What was so special then about the Safari Zone? Well, what better way for that to be answered, than by seeing it firsthand!

Before we were allowed in, I was asked to leave all my Pokemon at the front desk. This included Vulpix, and of course also led to a bit of a debate. Vulpix had never been forced inside a Pokeball in her life, and I don't think the people working there would want to look after her outside one. After a bit of fussing, David got the Safari people to allow Vulpix through with me. You might say I'm a bit spoiled when it comes to Vulpix.

Along with a huge supply of green colored Pokeballs, you're given a bag of food meant for wild Pokemon, and off you go into the zone. Normally, trainers have to hike through the fields to catch any wild Pokemon they can find, but again, I was lucky enough to have David with me, and he came equipped with a car to ride in!

"So David," I said, trying to keep a steady arm in the shaky car, "I can use these Pokeballs to catch any Pokemon I want here?"

"That's the point of the Safari Zone, Star. Trainers come here from all parts, just to catch the few rare Pokemon that only live here in Kanto."

"And I'm guessing the food is to throw at the Pokemon?" I took out a piece and brought it to my nose. It didn't smell very good.

"Pokemon battles aren't allowed in the zone, so you'll have to rely on the increased strength of the Pokeballs and fatigue of the Pokemon you're trying to catch."

To test, I threw a Pokeball out of the car at the nearest critter I could see. It ended up hitting a Nidorino, locking it away inside the Pokeball. The driver stopped the car for a second, just to make sure I could pick up the Pokeball if the catch was successful. Fortunately, the Nidorino broke free. I say that because at the time, I didn't plan to capture any Pokemon while on this safari. Felt wrong to rob them of their freedom when all they'd do is sit in a digital box somewhere.

From there, the trip continued more or less smoothly, though the ride was anything but. There were no roads in the zone, so the car was constantly jerking back and forth, making it pretty hard to sit still and enjoy the view. All the same, I did get to see all sorts of unusual Pokemon, many I had only ever read about in my encyclopedia. A herd of Tauros ran up beside us, a Kangaskhan and her baby played in a field, and a family of Nidoran watched as their older brothers fought off an angry Electabuzz. Life in the Safari Zone was natural, the way it was long before people became a part of the world of Pokemon.

At noon, we stopped at a small rest house by a pond. This was the second house I had seen in the zone, and according to David, they were put there to give trainers a place to relax or hide from wild Pokemon on the field. It reminded me of my first day on the road, how even a small Rattata had me crawling away in pain and fear. Without your friends at your side, even the tiny Nidoran seem like a threat.

Inside, we were given a small meal and plenty of cold water. Though I ate across the table from David, I realized he wasn't saying much the entire time. I knew he wasn't much for chit-chat, but there was something about it all that felt off to me. It took me a moment or two to figure out exactly what it was, but eventually I did. After giving Vulpix the last piece of bread from my sandwich, I stood up from the table.

"All set to go, Star?" He asked me. I nodded.

"I am, actually," I said, before raising my finger. "But, I'm not going back in the car."

"That's okay, we can walk, if you'd like."

"No, we're not going back together." I clarified.

"Something wrong?" I couldn't blame David for being confused. Up until then, everything was going quite well.

"Something a friend told me a long time ago, it's all starting to make sense now. Thank you, David, for everything. But this is where we go our separate ways."

He didn't hold it against me. David was a true gentleman to the end, and for that, I had to thank him. Outside the rest house, I leaned over to pick up Vulpix in my arms. As I scratched behind her ears, I remembered what Deneb said all the way back in Cerulean City.

'A Pokemon adventure is something you do on your own'.

I always thought he said that just as an excuse to not travel with me, but now I really understood why. It wasn't that David was a poor traveling companion, which by all accounts he was, but I never held anything against him. I just realized, as I sat there in front of him, that traveling with someone only ruined the experience. Sure, alone I'd have to face all the hardship by myself, but it only made the reward at the end that much more worthwhile.

With Vulpix in my arms, I looked towards the exit, and instead turned around and marched deeper into the Safari Zone. If there were rarer Pokemon to be had here, I'm sure they'd be hiding in the hills on the far side of the zone. The plan to not capture any critters stayed behind with David.

~o~

I poked my head out from behind a fallen tree. Just across from me was a small bird, a Farfetch'd. If Vulpix was my favorite Pokemon ever, Farfetch'd would be a distant second, and there was one just a few feet away. The bird was pecking at something underneath its wing, completely unaware that I was staring it down. At that moment, Vulpix poked her head out over the log, barking at the bird.

Of course, I instinctively told her to be quiet, but it was too late. The Farfetch'd looked over in our direction, and once it noticed we were there, picked up its leek in its beak and took to the sky. I didn't want to let this critter get away, so I reached for a Pokeball and threw it. Unfortunately, the ball missed completely, and the Farfetch'd flew off to another part of the zone. After scolding Vulpix for ruining the catch, I told her to follow me. I wasn't going to let that Pokemon fly away from me!

As you might guess, chasing after a flying Pokemon on foot wasn't the best idea. I managed to keep Farfetch'd in my sight at all times, and I even noticed when it finally touched back down on the ground. So focused on the bird, I didn't notice when I ran face first into a large, rocky Pokemon along the way. The crash sent me falling back, and though I was hurt more by the run-in than the Pokemon, it didn't like being disturbed.

The Rhyhorn pointed its sharp horn at me, growling to get me to start running. Of course, that's what I didn't do. I just stayed there on the ground, not budging an inch. Rhyhorns were famous for running people over, and they normally didn't attack a still target. At least, that's what I was hoping. Vulpix was right beside me the entire time, but I had my hand on her mouth, making sure she didn't anger the Rhyhorn anymore. After a moment that seemed to last forever, the Rhyhorn turned away from me, moving along on its way.

"That was close," I told Vulpix, letting go of her mouth at last. "Let's go. And this time, don't go barking at the Farfetch'd, okay?"

The Pokemon in question had landed in the middle of a pond. Vulpix and I crawled over, hiding underneath a pair of bushes by the pond. I'd only have one shot to catch it. I reached for a Pokeball, when Vulpix dug out the pouch of food from my bag. I took the pouch and patted her on the head.

"Good thinking!"

I pulled out a small lump of food, remembering the bad smell it had. Still, if Pokemon ate it, it probably didn't taste that bad. I reached out and placed the food on the surface of the water, letting it float there for a moment. I pushed it towards Farfetch'd, hoping it would travel enough to catch his attention. Sure enough, the food bounced against his feathers, waking the Pokemon up. After a quick look around for danger, it swooped the food up in its beak.

I took another piece and put it in the pond, pushing it towards the bird. This time, it noticed the food as it floated towards him, so Farfetch'd got closer to the bushes where I was hiding. I placed a third on the edge of the pond, making sure to do so while he ate up the second piece. It instantly noticed the free food, and moved along to fetch the last easy meal. I took a Pokeball in my hand.

Once the bird was right in front of me, I jumped up through the bushes and swung the Pokeball at it. I hoped the sudden startle would cause the Farfetch'd enough panic to not be able to break free from the Pokeball, knowing another chance to catch it was unlikely. The Pokemon was absorbed into the ball, and it landed back in the pond. The ball splashed about like a fish, but after a minute or so of splashing, it just stopped. I had caught the Farfetch'd! The Pokeball was instantly warped away, as per the rules of the Safari Zone.

Content, I made my way out of the bushes, when I realized something. I had jumped through them so fast, my dress had gotten caught on a few of the branches, and had been torn clean off me! I scurried back into the bush, taking a spare outfit from my bag and slipping into it underneath the same bush. I poked my head out from under the bush, hoping no other people were around that could have seen me. What a way to end a successful catch.

~o~

Back at the entrance to the zone, I met up with the guard that let me go in with Vulpix in the first place. He told me that I had caught a total of one Pokemon; obviously I knew that, and that I had to send it off to the Storage System, or pick one of my own critters to send away. Sending away Beedrill had been a hard decision, but it was sort of scary how quickly you got used to the concept. I picked Clefairy this time, as she was the least useful from a battler's standpoint. With Farfetch'd in my group, the next destination was the Fuchsia gym.

It was getting late, and though I was pretty beat from the Safari Zone, I chose to head out to the gym that same day. From Fuchsia, the next destination was Cinnabar Island across the ocean, and I wanted to be off first thing in the morning. The journey was surely coming to an end.


	17. Venemously Honorable Koga

Venomously Honorable Koga, Chapter 17

Fuchsia's gym was almost the same on the outside as any other building in the city. Fortunately, after a bit of asking around, I found myself inside the correct one. Unlike the rest of the gyms, this one didn't have an arena for the Pokemon to battle. The entire hall was covered in wood floors, all brilliantly polished and maintained. It was almost a shame to do battle here, and risk damaging the floor. I noticed a shoe rack when I entered, and did the polite thing of leaving behind my sandals before entering the house proper.

"Proper manners, I respect that."

The voice came from across the hall, though there was no one sitting on the floor pillow there. I walked forward a bit, but stopped about half way through the hall. I picked up Vulpix, and took a few steps back. I sat down on the floor, and told Vulpix to stay seated as well.

"Again, you show respect to my gym." The deep voice said.

"I've come to challenge the gym leader for a badge. My name is Star, and this is Vulpix, my best friend."

A smoke bomb went off on the other side of the gym, shrouding the floor pillow for a moment. When the smoke dissipated, there was a man sitting on the pillow. He was dressed like a ninja from a TV show, his red scarf the most noticeable part of his outfit. I lowered my head, and Vulpix followed my lead.

"I am Koga, of Fuchsia City."

"I wish to have a Pokemon battle, do you accept?" Koga seemed to pay close attention to the fancy talk, so I kept it up.

"I do, Star. I am surprised you know so much about the traditions of the gym."

"Would you believe me if I said it was all luck?"

"Actually, I would!" Koga let out a hearty laugh, and I let slip a little giggle before composing myself.

"It seems you've changed a bit, Star." Koga said, eyeing me closely.

"Sir?"

"Since Saffron City. I am good friends with Sabrina, of the Saffron Gym. We keep in touch about trainers we face separately." I lowered my head, a bit ashamed of whatever it was Sabrina said. If she shared everything that had happened, he knew all about my fears and what Sabrina did to bring them out.

"What did she say?"

"That is between friends. Suffice to say, where Sabrina saw weakness, I saw strength of character."

"Is Sabrina always so..." I took a moment to find the right word, not wanting to offend Koga. "Cold?"

"It's her way. Carrying the burden of psychic powers is too much for just anyone. She copes with it by being the way she is. Trust me, I knew her back when she wasn't so 'cold', as you put it." If that was the case, perhaps Koga could answer something for me.

"Can I ask you something? Who's the little girl that's always with her?" Koga closed his eyes, and it was clear he knew who I was talking about.

"I would rather not say without Sabrina's consent. Now, you came here to challenge me for a Soulbadge, so why don't we get started on that?"

Koga stood up, producing a Pokeball from behind his back. I got up as well, sending Vulpix out first.

"What are the rules?" I asked.

"All out. Fight with all your might against my Pokemon. Are you ready?"

I nodded, and Koga threw his Pokeball not out in front of him, but at the side wall. The ball erupted, releasing his first Pokemon, and also knocking down the entire wall, revealing a large garden just outside. The sun was already setting on the garden, giving it an orange tint that really suited the white flowers. His Pokemon was a small purple bug, with large, red eyes. It was a Venonat, a Pokemon commonly referred to as a pest in the areas around Pallet Town. Mom didn't like them much.

"Shall we take this fight outside?"

Koga's Venonat ran ahead before us, taking its position on one side of a small flower bed in the shape of a Pokeball. If I thought it was a shame to fight on the wood floor, on the flower bed was worse. Still, Vulpix took her spot across from Venonat, and I was about to walk out onto the grass when Koga stopped me. He had his floor pillow in his hand, and dropped in on the edge of the floor.

"We stay here. Grab your seat, or stand."

Most certainly a twist on battling, sitting right next to your opponent. I grabbed the pillow like he suggested, and sat down to his left, matching Vulpix's position on the field. When you fight against another trainer, you usually get to look at them directly, and it helps you judge their actions. With Koga right next to me, I felt almost blind, like Venonat could attempt anything and I'd never see it coming.

"Your first move, Star?" Another aspect I hated about battling, making the first move.

"Vulpix, Ember!"

"Venonat, Foresight."

Vulpix took a step back, swinging her tails at Venonat to rain down small flames all over her opponent. Venonat moved to a side, his eyes glowing brightly for a moment. Vulpix's attack missed him completely, so I moved on to the next move.

"Use Flamethrower!"

"Venonat, Disable."

Vulpix opened her mouth for the attack, but Venonat's eyes began to glow again, and Vulpix just stopped. Disable was a great way to level the field, since it would prevent her from using her Flamethrower attack. And with Venonat able to dodge Vulpix's Ember, I'd have to play this one without the type advantage.

"Vulpix, Quick Attack!"

"Venonat, Supersonic."

Vulpix disappeared for a moment, ramming into Venonat a second later, sending the ugly bug flying into the air. After leveling out in the air, Venonat once again glared at Vulpix, this time letting out a sharp cry. Vulpix cried out a bit, trying to get the shriek out of her ears. She started to wobble around a bit, and I was afraid the attack had managed to confuse her.

"Vulpix, focus! Use Quick Attack!"

Vulpix nodded, as if she understood the order, but just spun around in a circle before collapsing on the ground. Koga snickered.

"Venonat, use Poison Powder."

"Vulpix, get out of the way!" I screamed in panic.

Venonat ran up to Vulpix, shaking about for a moment, and releasing a bunch of purple dust all over her. She cried out a bit as the dust landed on her. She was still confused, and now poisoned, there was little hope she could win this battle. I threw in the towel, and called her back.

"You forfeit the match?"

"No, just switching Pokemon." Vulpix stumbled over to me, trying to focus enough to snap out of the confusion. I dug around my bag for an antidote, when Koga produced one for me.

"League rules are clear: use of an item disqualifies the Pokemon from battling further."

"I understand, and thank you." I applied the antidote on Vulpix, relieved when she started breathing normally again. After petting her for a moment, I reached for the next Pokemon to face Koga. I released Primeape. Koga wasted no time in preparing for the next match.

"Venonat, Double Team."

With a single yelp, Venonat produced a body double, then a triple, and clone after clone. Before long, there were over a dozen copies of Venonat surrounding Primeape. I had been slow to pick up on Koga's strategy, but I was finally starting to catch on.

"Primeape, use Focus Energy!"

Primeape threw me an odd glance, like I was crazy for not ordering it to go crazy itself. Still, he started beating on his chest, pumping himself up for the next blow. I was tempted to turn my head towards Koga, and see just what his reaction was, but I ended up keeping my eyes on the battlefield. Koga waited for a moment before ordering his next attack.

"Venonat, use Poison Powder."

My strategy would cause Primeape to get poisoned on purpose, but I'd be able to pick out the real Venonat. Double Team caused exact clones of the Pokemon to appear to cause confusion to the opponent, but they were more like shadows than anything. And a shadow needed the original to make the first move. I kept my eyes fixed on Primeape, and once the first Venonat flinched to start the attack, I had him picked out. I stood up and pointed at the right critter.

"Screech on that Venonat, now!"

Primeape followed my finger, spotting the Venonat I was pointing at. He opened his mouth, letting out a powerful wave that sent the critter flying back, and the others all disappeared. With Venonat in the open and off balance, I order Primeape in for the finishing blow.

"Seismic Toss!"

Primeape ran towards Venonat, picking the Pokemon up as it tried to scurry away. Holding it over his head, Primeape leapt into the air, landing on the roof of the building surrounding the arena, and then jumped again into the air as high as it could. He came crashing back down, Venonat first. After the explosion of dirt and dust, there was only a whole in the ground and Primeape standing over it. Venonat was out for good.

"Congratulations, Star," Koga said as he recalled his Pokemon. That was almost too easy to have been the entire match.

"Is that it?"

"You want to fight again?" He asked with a hint of surprise in his tone.

"No, it's not that. I expected another Pokemon, since Venonat wasn't..." I paused for a moment, trying to find the right word again. "That strong?"

"Yet, he was strong enough to defeat your Vulpix." Koga had a point there.

"I have a feeling there was a point to this whole battle, other than for me to win a badge."

"And Sabrina said you were a throwaway trainer," Koga said, laughing it up at his supposed friend. I called back Primeape, seeing as how the battle was won.

"So what was the point?" I asked.

"You saw Venonat, and did not think it a worthy opponent."

"That's-," I stopped myself, thinking hard on the answer again. Koga was more impressed with the fact I caught myself before I could say it.

"You're right." I said, slightly ashamed of my way of thinking.

"You went with the easiest route to victory, and lost in the process. I caught you off-guard with a Pokemon you would think would be an otherwise easy victory. Sabrina fell for this herself, the second time she faced you."

"So, I should trick people into not trying hard enough?"

"If your opponent underestimates you, victory is already favoring you. Do not give them a reason to fear you, and they will always be at a disadvantage." That was certainly one approach to battling.

"I think I understand." Koga smiled, and reached into his pocket for a badge.

"The Soulbadge is yours, Star. Remember the spirit in which you earned it."

I took the badge, taking a good, long look at it before attaching it to the back of my trainer card. After returning my floor pillow to its original place near the entrance, I turned to Koga one last time. There was still a question I didn't have an answer to, something that had been bothering me for a while now.

"Koga, what was Sabrina like before? You said you knew her since before she was like that, right? Why did she change?"

"People change, Star. Sometimes they do it with good reason, other times it happens without their consent. Just remember one thing-" he said, turning to look me in the eye.

"That somewhere deep down, the person you once knew is still there. It just takes a bit of work to find them, is all."

~o~

After bidding Koga farewell, I left the gym, and made my way back to the Pokemon Center. After letting Vulpix get treated by Nurse Joy, I took her with me to the second floor, the typical area where I slept whenever I stayed at a center. I looked Vulpix in the eyes for a while, trying to see myself reflected in them. Turned out to be quite difficult, what with her constantly tilting her head back and forth. Still, after enough trying, I managed to see my reflection in them, if only for a second or two.

I looked like myself, but I certainly didn't feel like myself. Like Koga said, people change, but it isn't always their choice. It took me all night, but I finally came to the conclusion that I had changed, too. Was it my choice? That was a question I couldn't find an answer to. Was it my choice if life forced me to make it? What was the alternative?

Before setting out on this journey, I never thought about things like this. And I didn't choose to start thinking about them either. I guess, it wasn't my choice after all.

I wondered: did Deneb make the choice, or did life do it for him?


	18. Surfing the Seafoam

Surfing the Seafoam, Chapter 18

Dawn always seemed to wash away the troubles from the previous day for me. All the questions I asked myself seemed to become a distant memory, and the only thing important now was my next destination. I guess I must've dozed off sometime in the night, because I woke up pretty much energized and ready for adventure. Once Vulpix was up and fed, we left the center, and Fuchsia City entirely.

Just south of Fuchsia was Route 19, quite possibly the shortest route in Kanto. It was only a five minute walk to the shore, and that's where Route 20 began. Cinnabar Island was on the other end of Route 20, so I needed either a ride on a ship or a Pokemon large enough to swim me across the sea. I reached for Lapras's Pokeball, and released him on the surface of the water.

"Hello, Lapras," I said, petting the giant critter's back. "I'm Star, your new trainer."

The Pokemon stared at me for a moment, like it was trying to determine whether or not it should listen to me. Vulpix stepped forward, barking at the large Pokemon. I was about to stop her, when Lapras began to chant something back at Vulpix, like the two Pokemon were talking to each other. I knew Vulpix would defend my ability as a trainer, so I let the two get acquainted for a moment. Vulpix finally turned to me and barked, so I took it as a signal that Lapras was convinced.

The large blue Pokemon crawled up on the shore, lowering its neck so that I could use it as a step stool to get up on its back. Once I had positioned myself between a number of the smooth spikes on its shell, Lapras pushed itself back into the ocean, awaiting my order to move onward.

"Let's go, then!" I said, pointing far to the west, where a tiny speck could be seen in the distance.

"To Cinnabar Island!"

~o~

If you've ever been on a cruise, you know just how fun the trip can be. Cruise ships have everything you could possibly need while on the trip, and generally enough activity to let you forget you're actually on a ship. Surfing on the back of Lapras, however, was no where near as fun. It was novel, at first, watching the waves pass us by, but after an hour of nothing but waves, you could see how I was starting to yawn quite often. Vulpix had long since fallen asleep in my arms, afraid she would fall off Lapras's back and into the ocean.

When on the road, there was always something happening around me. If there were no trainers out to challenge me, then wild Pokemon sprung up from time to time to keep me on edge. Out here, there was only the sound of the waves and winds, or of Lapras occasionally chanting a song. The peace of it all was a nice change of pace, but for once I wanted some kind of excitement. Where was Team Rocket's goons when you needed them?

"Lapras," I called to the Pokemon ahead, "Where are you from?"

The Pokemon let out a cry of some sort. I couldn't speak Pokemon, so as far as I knew, he was either telling a sad tale of a long lost home, or singing praises of a life in luxury before I came along. Seeing as how he was once owned by David's family, rich employees of Silph, I could imagine Lapras having been raised in some fancy pool somewhere in Saffron before ending up in my care. Or maybe Lapras's story was one of sadness, torn from his family long ago, never to see them again except for in his dreams.

I closed my eyes, trying to envision this sad tale. I pictured myself as a beautiful mermaid, swimming along blissfully under the sea, with my friends in the hundreds: water Pokemon, as far as the eye could see. Eyes capable of seeing without the aid of glasses, too. Down here, my beloved Vulpix wouldn't be my best friend, but perhaps a Horsea, or maybe even a Goldeen. A Psyduck would always keep me company, working his odd charms to try and make me laugh. And in this underwater paradise, there would be a Lapras family.

Of course, I wasn't sure if Lapras could actually live underwater, but that didn't matter. They would be close friends of the mermaids, and their son would always be by my side. Until one day, something terrible happens. A human ship comes along, and catches many of my friends in small, red devices. I try to save them, but I end up becoming a target myself. These humans have never seen a real mermaid before, and they want to catch me. Lapras swims in the way, and gets caught instead.

I try to free him, pulling at the net. Lapras lets out a sad cry, and he's hoisted away by the humans. Would they treat him well? Would they eat him? These thoughts would make the mermaid sadder and sadder, until finally she can't take the sadness anymore. She eventually gives up on living, and swims to the surface. When she gets there, she's surrounded by human fishermen, all trying to catch her. Heartbroken by how evil the humans could be, the mermaid started to cry, and her tears mixed with the ocean to create the Seafoam Islands...

At around this point, I snapped out of the daydream, with Lapras nudging at me. After rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I looked past my Pokemon to a pair of islands we had come across. Confused, I pulled out the map Mom had bought me (and neglected to use for some time). Somewhere before Cinnabar was a small pair of islands, the very same Seafoam Islands I was just dreaming about. I woke Vulpix up, and told her to get off Lapras for a while, to help stretch our legs a bit. Once off, I put away the map, and pulled out my encyclopedia.

I flipped through the pages, looking for any mention of the Seafoam Islands. A number of ice and water type Pokemon were listed as natives of the island, but strangely enough there wasn't even a page in the book dedicated to the islands themselves. That is, until I finally got to one of the last pages of the book. It was the page dedicated to Articuno, a rare bird Pokemon. I told Lapras to crawl up on the shore to rest for a bit, and then I returned to the page on Articuno.

"A rare bird," I read aloud. "So rare, it has been considered a legend today. Articuno is believed to hide in the tallest mountains, making the snow that covers them. Rumor has it that one of these rare Pokemon hides in the Seafoam Islands of the Kanto region, though no one has been able to confirm this."

Vulpix tapped on the picture of Articuno, as if trying to tell me something. Of course, I didn't need her to convince me. I returned Lapras to his Pokeball for the time, and snapped the book shut. There was a cave just around the side of the island, just begging to be explored. No one had been able to prove there was an Articuno here, and I wanted to be the first to do so.

~o~

The islands on the outside were strange, a pair of small hills just floating about on the surface of the water. But inside, it was like a different world. The walls of the caves were lined with ice, and in the parts where enough light got in from the outside, the walls sparkled, like something straight out of a fairy tale. The wild Pokemon inside weren't aggressive, either, instead scurrying away once they noticed me or Vulpix entering the same cavern or tunnel.

The most common Pokemon inside were Seel, with a few Dewgongs lounging nearby. In the water, Goldeen and Seaking swan around, enjoying the water inside the caves, which was much colder than outside. Vulpix stayed next to me the entire time, growling at any Pokemon that got too close. If they did, it was only to be friendly, but I wasn't about to convince Vulpix of that. Being a fire type critter, I guess she was just uneasy around so much water.

I walked over to a small pond, where a few Goldeen were swimming. I touched the water, only to pull my hand back as quickly as possible. I knew it would colder because of the ice in the caves, but I didn't expect it to be freezing. Made my choice of footwear all the more poor for exploring this place. I kept moving, going from one tunnel to another, not exactly sure where I'd end up. Eventually, I came to another large cavern, only this one wasn't covered completely in ice.

I figured it was because of the light from the outside, seeing as how this cavern had an exit. Then I noticed something strange on along the walls. Broken pieces of ice melting on the ground, cracks along the walls. I even saw a footprint in a patch of slush. There had been a Pokemon battle here, and recently, too. I picked Vulpix up, just to be safe, and went out the exit in that cavern.

I ended up on the other side of the island, with the second one just a small hop away. If these weren't manmade, they sure could fool anyone. It was almost eerie how perfectly the cave entrances lined up. Before I jumped across to the other island, I took a quick look around. There was a small stretch of ocean below me, and I noticed a boat just around the side. It was a black boat, and it had a single letter 'R' painted in bright red on the side. I had asked for trouble earlier, and my wish was granted.

Inside the next island cave, I followed a trail of footprints, leading into a larger cave. Before I walked right into a trap, I poked my head around the corner. It was Team Rocket! About a dozen or so grunts, all searching around the cave for something. I held Vulpix's mouth shut, and tried to listen in on what they were saying.

"Did you get in touch with the mansion?" One voice said.

"No boss, something's wrong with our radios. Could be all this stinking ice."

"Then go back out that tunnel, and get a better signal! Do I have to order everything around here!?" The one called 'boss' walked over to the other side of the cavern yelling out orders to a few other grunts in the distance. If Giovanni was anywhere nearby, I'd be in big trouble.

"Boss, I think we found something in the next cave! It may be the bird!"

"What!? You! Call the mansion, now!"

The grunts split off into two groups, most of them running off down another tunnel on the far side of the cave. The one ordered to call the mansion took out his radio, fiddling with the dials for a minute before he started walking towards me. I ran back down the tunnel as fast as I could, keeping Vulpix's mouth shut the entire time. If I was caught here, there'd be too many of them to take on myself.

At the exit, I jumped across to the other island again, ducking around the nearest corner. I let go of Vulpix, and told her to be quiet. The grunt made it to the exit of the tunnel, and continued to mess with the radio, trying to get it to work. His attention was on the radio, so I made my move.

"Vulpix, when he sees me, use Quick Attack, and get behind him, okay?" Vulpix nodded, so I got out from behind the bend and walked over to the edge. He still hadn't noticed I was there. I signaled for Vulpix to get closer to me.

"Hey there!"

The grunt looked up from the radio, but before he could say anything, Vulpix ended up behind him, pushing him forward into the the gap between the islands. It wasn't a long way down, but the grunt managed to stretch out his body just enough to make a bridge between the two caves. I kneeled down so he could hear me whisper.

"You promise not to make any noise, and I promise not to tell my Primeape to do jumping jacks on your back. Okay?" That was probably a downright cruel thing to say, but I had to show him I wasn't afraid to potentially kill him. Not that I'd ever dream of doing such a thing.

"Y-Yes, whatever you say, boss."

"Good then!"

I jumped over to the other cave, leaving the grunt behind. After making my way across the large cavern, I followed the tunnel the others had taken. After a short walk, I ended up at another large opening, this one packed with grunts. In the center of them all was a large ice sculpture. At least, that's what I thought it was, until I stared at it for a bit longer. It was an Articuno, frozen in ice!

"But boss! If something happens and the ice breaks, the Pokemon may escape!"

"You idiot! That's why we have this!" The boss pulled out a purple Pokeball, showing it to the other grunts.

"What's that?"

"A Master Ball. Giovanni had it made by the people at Silph while we were in charge there. Supposedly, this thing can catch any Pokemon, no exceptions!"

I stared at the purple wonder, but that wasn't the biggest issue here. If Team Rocket caught that Articuno, that meant Giovanni would get his hands on it. I couldn't let that happen. A few of the grunts picked up some hammers, approaching the block of ice in the center. I would have preferred to go in with a plan, but I was out of time.

"Hey! Rocket!" I screamed into the cavern.

All of them turned to me, shocked at what they saw. I guess none of them expected some little girl to try and stop them. I swear even one of them let slip a snicker. With Vulpix at my side, however, not a single one of them scared me.

"Who are you!?" The boss yelled.

"I'm here to stop you from catching that Pokemon! Unless you guys want to get hurt, you better start running."

They stood there, frozen for just a few seconds. Maybe it was the cavern that helped me out by letting my voice resound and echo, but they were scared of me, even if it was for just a single moment. The boss picked a Pokeball from his belt, and released a mean looking Arbok.

"What are you idiots standing around for!? It's one little kid! Kill her!"

The other grunts released Pokemon of their own, and within seconds the cave was packed with all manner of angry critters, from Weezing to Raticates and even a Grimer. About a dozen Pokemon against Vulpix.

"Arbok, Glare!"

The large snake's eyes glinted as it stared down Vulpix. I looked down at her, and saw that she wasn't moving at all. The rest of the grunts started screaming their orders, and all the Pokemon rushed us. This wouldn't end well, so I scooped up Vulpix's paralyzed body and started running for my life back down the tunnel. I could hear the angry roars of the Pokemon as they followed me, but I didn't look back. I reached for a Pokeball on my belt, feeling around until I found Primeape's.

When I was back in the other cave, I turned around and threw the ball into the tunnel, releasing Primeape. The large monkey looked at me, and then back down the tunnel. Arbok was leading the mass of critters down the tunnel.

"Primeape, Focus Energy, quick!"

Primeape started beating on his chest, pumping himself up for the next blow. The Pokemon closed in on him even faster. He'd only have one shot.

"Karate Chop the ceiling, now!"

Primeape swung as hard as he could, causing the area above him to crack and start raining down rubble. I dropped Vulpix, and grabbed Primeape by his other arm, dragging him out of the way just in time. The tunnel collapsed, locking out the herd of Pokemon coming after us, maybe even hurting a few along the way. I felt sorry for them; after all, it wasn't their fault. I picked up Vulpix, who was still having trouble moving.

"Primeape, come with me."

The large monkey followed close behind as I went down another tunnel. The grunts were still inside the cavern with Articuno, and I had just locked myself out of it. There had to be another way in. The tunnel I took led be back out to the other end of the island. Down by the shore, I saw the boats belonging to Team Rocket, and just a ways off in the distance, Cinnabar Island. I looked around, hoping there would be some other cave. There was another entrance nearby, so without thinking twice, I ran in, only to run right into another grunt.

I dropped Vulpix, and the grunt grabbed me by the neck, hoisting me up into the air. I cried out, and Primeape came running to my aid. The grunt threatened me if he got any closer, but Primeape was already running at full speed. Before the grunt could do anything, Primeape grabbed the grunt by his face, yanked him over his head, and threw the guy into the ocean. I took a few deep breaths, rubbing my neck. Primeape placed his hand on my back, stroking me softly.

"Thanks, Primeape, I owe you. Lead the way."

I scooped up Vulpix, who continued to fight the paralysis from Arbok's Glare attack. Primeape ran a bit ahead of me, furious at the grunts that tried to hurt me. I knew they'd probably be expecting me to come through that tunnel, so I decided to lay my own little surprise for them. After a bit more running, I screamed out into the tunnel.

"Don't touch that Pokemon, Team Rocket!"

Since Primeape was ahead, I knew that by the time they assembled on the other end of the tunnel, they'd be expecting me, not an enraged Primeape. And exactly like I predicted, Primeape went ramming through the grunts on the other end. When I showed up, he was finishing off the group. The boss was trying his hardest to break the ice holding Articuno.

"Primeape, stop him!" I screamed.

Primeape beat on his chest before running towards the grunt. The grunt swung the hammer at Primeape as he approached, but the Pokemon caught onto the other end, grabbing hold of the weapon and swinging it around towards the cavern wall. The boss went flying with it. In my arms, Vulpix had finally shaken off the paralysis, so I put her down.

"Vulpix, use Flamethrower on the ice and melt it!"

In the meantime, I ran over to the Rocket boss, digging into his pocket for the Master Ball. Once I had it, I ran back to Primeape's side. Vulpix shot her flames at the ice, melting it away little by little. I noticed the boss trying to get up, so I pointed at him.

"Primeape, make sure he doesn't move!"

My Pokemon stood over the man, pounding a fist into his other palm. The boss raised his hands, signaling his surrender. Content, I turned my attention back to the ice, which was now mostly gone. I told Vulpix to stop the attack. With such a small amount of ice left, the Articuno inside sprung to life, and broke out of the frozen cage.

The bird fluttered about in the center of the cave for a moment, stretching its wings. The Master Ball was in my hand, and I have to admit, I was tempted to throw it at Articuno. Such a rare Pokemon would be an astounding find, especially to share with Professor Oak back in Pallet Town. But as the bird got back into its usual rhythm, I realized that if I caught it, I'd be no better than Team Rocket. Once the bird was ready to take flight again, it looked me in the eyes.

"Go on," I said in a soft voice, lowering my hand with the Master Ball in it. "You're free."

The large bird landed in front of me, lowering its head as a sign of thanks. Then, it started to flap its large wings, letting out a blast of supercool air throughout the cave. It squeezed through a small opening in the ceiling of the cavern, and then vanished into the skies beyond.

"How could you?" I turned to the Rocket boss, who sat there against the wall, clearly furious. "You just let escape one of the rarest Pokemon in the world!"

"Maybe," I replied, tucking away the Master Ball in my bag. "But better that than letting you have it."

~o~

I picked up Vulpix in my arms, and told Primeape to follow me. When we were inside the tunnel, I ordered Primeape to seal the tunnel the same way he did before. It would take the grunts a while to dig their way out, and give me enough time to make my escape. After putting Primeape back in his Pokeball, I ran out to the shore where Team Rocket's boats were.

The grunt that Primeape had thrown into the ocean was just crawling back onto the shore. I picked Lapras's Pokeball, and threw it out into the ocean. The Pokemon was released, and the grunt got down on his hands and knees upon seeing it.

"How do you work these boats?" I asked him, Vulpix in my arms growling.

"Uh... just turn it on and steer with the lever." The grunt pointed to the start up switch and the lever. I walked over to the boat and jumped in.

"Your friends are trapped inside that tunnel, you should go help them."

The grunt nodded, and walked over to the tunnel. I ordered Lapras to wreck the other two boats, which the grunt saw but couldn't do anything about. Once Lapras was back in his Pokeball, I turned on the boat, and started towards Cinnabar Island. As the Seafoam Islands got smaller behind us, I looked towards the sky. Somewhere up there I saw a blue bird, one that was more than happy I had been there to save it.


	19. Island of Knowledge

Island of Knowledge, Chapter 19

Despite the fact that I pulled up to Cinnabar Island in a Team Rocket boat, not a one of the island inhabitants seemed to notice. It all felt a bit strange, but I was about to find out why. A few police officers arrived on the scene, one of them a woman that looked identical to Officer Jenny from Celadon City!

"Identify yourself!" She screamed at me.

"It's me, Star! Don't you remember me from when we met in Celadon?" I raised my hands in the air, just to be safe.

"Oh, so you've met one of my sisters? Trouble with the law, little girl?"

"No, ma'am," I said, watching as the other pair of officers went to inspect the boat. "I just came from Seafoam Island."

"In a Team Rocket vessel? Why don't you come down to the station, and tell me the whole story."

One of the police officers pulled my arms down and slapped handcuffs on me. I didn't bother fighting back, knowing it was all just a huge misunderstanding that would be fixed soon enough. Vulpix started to growl at Officer Jenny, or her twin, but I told her to be quiet and behave. It didn't matter that I was forced through the entire island in chains, as no one seemed to care. Just what was up with these people?

~o~

It took me a while, but I finally told the whole story to Officer Jenny. Much like the Nurse Joys that run the Pokemon Centers, Officer Jenny comes from a large family of look alikes that all happen to be police officers of various cities. Anyway, I explained everything that happened, not only on the Seafoam Islands, but also what happened in both Celadon City and Saffron City, just to make sure she knew the whole story. After a few calls to the departments in both Celadon and Saffron, Jenny removed the handcuffs.

"I am so sorry about all this," she said, locking away the cuffs in a drawer of her desk.

"It's okay, you're just doing your job, right?"

"Actually, it feels good to be able to do my job in the first place. You can't begin to imagine how dreadfully boring it is to be a police officer here." She sighed.

"It seems like a nice place, is that why?"

"If it were just that, you could get used to the peace. You see, Cinnabar Island is pretty much a research center floating in the ocean. The only people who live here, besides police officers and Nurse Joy at the center, are scientists. And they aren't exactly the most talkative bunch, nor criminals."

Normally, such a situation would be a cop's dream come true, but after spending a few hours bored to death drifting on the waves, I can see how boredom would quickly kick in. However, the League brochure said there was a gym here on the island, but I didn't see it on while on the way to the station.

"Um, if it's alright to ask, where's the gym?"

"Gym? You mean the Pokemon gym?" I nodded.

"Gone." She said bluntly.

"Gone? What do you mean gone?"

"When Silph came in and changed the entire island around, the gym went with it. I heard the leader got pretty steamed." I felt my eyes widen.

"So, what am I supposed to do now?"

"Well, the gym may be gone, but I heard the leader still lives and works on the island. Never met him myself, but I'm sure if you look around you'll find him."

"I thought you said the only people living here are scientists?"

"I know. The gym leader is one of them. If you're going to go look for him, just be sure not to cause any trouble. Much as I'd like to be called into action, I wouldn't want to arrest you again." Jenny said with a weak smile.

Once I had Vulpix and my other Pokemon back, I said goodbye to the officer and left the police station. Outside, the sun was starting to set, and the ocean was turning orange. If the gym leader was still somewhere on the island, I'd have to spend the next day looking for him. Officer Jenny and the entire police department got into a pair of boats and made off for the Seafoam Islands, intent on capturing the Rocket grunts still marooned on the islands. Unless they finally managed to radio for help, they were probably still on there.

Then it hit me. The grunts were trying to call someone on the island! I looked around, seeing only scientists walking around the streets, all of them with their noses buried in books and paperwork. They may have been able to pull off the paper thin disguise in Celadon, but here they were doing a much better job. The island was also run by Silph, so it made sense. It would all be topped off if Giovanni himself was on the island.

The Pokemon Mansion was the only other location of interest on the island, a large building that had been turned into the primary workplace for the scientists. I had always heard from my teachers in school that although science was one of the best things people could do for others, it was also very hard to fund. Someone had to be paying the bills for these scientists, and I had a feeling Team Rocket- and Giovanni- were behind it.

I ran to the Pokemon Center. If the grunts were still at the Seafoam Islands, and they were brought back by the police, the other members would probably make a run for it, Giovanni included. That meant I had to go looking that same night for proof before they started covering their tracks. It was still early, but I jumped right into the spare bed offered to me by Nurse Joy. A small nap now, and I'd be ready by nightfall to sneak into the Mansion on the other end of town.

~o~

As it would turn out, my plan of sneaking into the Mansion, where all the scientists lived and worked, wasn't going to go as originally planned. I started to wonder if any of my plans would ever work out perfectly. Anyway, the plan didn't work because apparently, these scientists never slept!

As I snuck around the sides of the building, Vulpix trailing behind as usual, I noticed most of the windows still had light coming from them. I peeked through a few, seeing a number of people in white lab coats running around, always with their faces buried in notepads or thick textbooks.

"Maybe it won't be so hard to sneak in after all," I said to myself, ending up back at the front door after circling the building. Vulpix scratched at my leg, asking to be carried in. For once, she was starting to catch on as to when was the perfect time for her to not get in my way.

"Just please be quiet, okay? I can't always be holding your mouth shut."

I turned the knob on the door slowly, and it swung open without so much as a creak. Inside the foyer, I saw a few scientists walking around, none of them noticing the door had even been opened. Whatever it was they were working on, it sure kept them occupied. I ducked into the first room I could, and took a deep breath when I was standing right in front of the desk of another worker. Again, he didn't even notice I was there, too busy writing something as fast as his hand could move.

I slowly bent over, placing Vulpix on the floor, and getting on my knees. I pointed to the alcove under the desk, and told Vulpix to go there and stay put. Meanwhile, I crawled around the desk, hiding myself behind the waste basket on the other end of the room. After a few minutes, the guy got up and ran out the room, his paper finally done. Letting out a huge sigh of relief, I got out from my hiding spot, and snapped my fingers so that Vulpix could come to my side.

Other than the desk and a ton of papers on it, the only other piece of furniture was a coat stand with a couple white lab coats hanging off it. These guys were so busy with their work, they hadn't even noticed me sneak in. With a lab coat on, I'd practically be invisible! I snatched one off the stand and slipped into it, though most of the tail end was dragging on the ground. They were adult sized coats, after all.

Carrying Vulpix in my arms, and hiding her under the coat, I walked out of the room again, this time almost running into a scientist as I did. I deftly moved to a side, and the guy didn't even give me a second glance. Just what were they working on that kept them so distracted? I walked into the main hall, where another few guys in white coats were inspecting a large tank in the center. There was something floating inside the tank, a purple and white ball that almost looked like it could be a Pokemon.

"Blaine, the results are in."

I ducked behind another desk when I heard one of the men talk. Poking my head out over the desk, I saw one of the younger scientists approach an older, balder one.

"Is it stable this time?" The bald man turned around, and I finally got a look at his face. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of small, round glasses, and the only other feature on his face was a long, sharp mustache.

"Higher than ever before: 97%." The younger man handed a clipboard to Blaine. He flipped through it for a few seconds.

"I would have preferred perfection, but we're running out of time," Blaine scribbled something on the board and handed it back to the other scientist. "Tell everyone that we're going ahead with the project at last."

The younger man put two of his fingers to his lips and blew, releasing a sharp whistle throughout the mansion. For once, I saw the other scientists actually bother to look up from whatever they were doing. Once the men working upstairs and in the other rooms formed a crowd near the center, Blaine raised his hand to draw attention.

"We have achieved 97% cohesion, and I'm afraid that's as high as it will ever get. We're moving on with the project."

"What about Giovanni? Has he been informed?" I looked over at the scientist questioning Blaine, shocked that Giovanni had been mentioned. This made it official that the entire island was working for Team Rocket. Officer Jenny would have a field day when she heard.

"Giovanni sent in a report several days ago. The Silph Building operation was compromised, so he retreated to his primary safe house. It's too dangerous to inform him at this point; I'll be taking full responsibility for the actions from here on in. Any other questions?"

The few other people in the crowd mumbled something amongst themselves, but no one else raised a concern to Blaine. After a moment of letting them discuss, Blaine clapped his hands.

"Then let's get right to work! We have to finish this project as soon as possible and get it off the island!"

The crowd dispersed, everyone shuffling about to new stations. Things weren't going so well for me, though, as I was forced into the alcove of the desk I was hiding behind when one of the scientists took a seat. If I was found out, I doubted they'd do anything bad. They were just a bunch of smart nerds, after all. I couldn't make out much of what everyone else was saying from there, but enough to make out that they were going forward with something genetic, whatever that meant. After a few more minutes of talking in the distance, the guy sitting at the desk got up, finally allowing me to sneak out.

I poked my head out just enough to get a view of the hall. Blaine was on his way upstairs, which meant that's where I had to be as well. He was the guy in charge, which meant he knew where the gym leader was. Everyone around the room looked pretty caught up in what was happening with the thing inside the tank, so I stood up from behind the desk and walked across the hall. If I just strolled through like I belonged, no one would notice me. With Vulpix hiding under the lab coat, I actually managed to walk past all of them!

On the second floor, I saw a few other scientists walking around, but again, I just walked past them with my head held high, and not a one noticed me the entire time. Made me wonder if a person with a bomb walked in, he could probably blow the entire place up without even alarming a single person. I turned a corner, then another, and then another. I didn't know where I was going, only that I had to find Blaine. I finally came across a room with a door, the only one in the mansion I had seen. I cupped my hands over my eyes and peeked inside, seeing Blaine on the other end shuffling around some papers. I opened the door and went in.

"Has the genetic mutation kicked in already?" He didn't even look up from what he was doing. He was sure in for a surprise.

"I don't know, I don't work here." He looked up at last, and I just waved at him with a smile. Vulpix fell out of the lab coat at the same time.

"Well, I won't ask how you got in, pretty obvious we weren't paying attention. What do you want, girl?" Blaine returned to his papers, filling out several of them with a tiny scribble each.

"I'm looking for the gym leader here. I heard from Officer Jenny that the gym was closed, but the leader still lived and worked somewhere on the island."

"And what makes you think he's here? All of the men working here are scientists, not Pokemon trainers."

"Well, a guess, really. I'm asking you because you sounded like the boss here." Blaine chuckled under his breath, but didn't shift his gaze from the papers on the desk.

"I'm sorry, but I'm too busy to accept challenges now. Come back next week, or the week after."

"You mean, you're the gym leader?" I probably shouldn't have been so surprised. Blaine looked to be the type with a past of Pokemon battling.

"Matter of fact I am, miss, and right now I'm on a tight deadline. Please, show yourself out. If anyone happens to notice you this time, just tell them it's been cleared with me." Blaine only pointed at the door as he spoke, but never gave me a second look. I turned around, but before I opened the door to leave, I had one last thing to say.

"Why do you work for Giovanni?"

"He's my boss, end of discussion."

"Do you know he's the leader of Team Rocket?" At last, I finally got all of Blaine's attention. He looked at me from across the room.

"You've met him, then?" I nodded.

"Twice. I was the one that snuck into Silph." Blaine dropped the pen in his hand, leaning back in his chair.

"Explains why he didn't want to reveal the infiltrator. Not that I believe you, kid, but considering how much you know..."

"Giovanni has done some terrible things," I said, not meaning what I was about to say. "But all I want is to challenge you for a badge."

"You're willing to let us continue with our work for Giovanni?" Blaine's glasses shimmered in the light from his desk lamp.

"I don't like it, but the most I can do is call Officer Jenny, and she wouldn't believe me. Even if she did, I'm pretty sure you guys have something to convince her I'm crazy." Blaine got up from the desk, and walked around to me. He reached out his hand, and pointed to his coat with the other. I took off the coat I was wearing and handed it to him.

"You've got got yourself a challenge, girl. Meet me tomorrow in front of this mansion, we'll head to my arena then."

Blaine opened the door for me, and walked me downstairs, and out of the Mansion. Once outside, he closed the mansion door behind him. He kneeled down and scratched Vulpix behind her ears.

"Bring your best, kid, I won't be going easy on you."

"Of course not!"

~o~

The next day, I was wide awake at around seven in the morning, eager to get the battle with Blaine done early. There was only one gym left after this, the one back in Viridian City. Along the way, I'd pay a visit back to Pallet Town. After being away from home for so long, I was looking forward to seeing Mom again in person.

On the way back to the Mansion, I saw the police boats docked at the harbor, meaning Officer Jenny and the other policemen had made it back from Seafoam. If the Rocket grunts had been captured and brought back, they could probably tell Jenny about the scientists working for Giovanni. I hurried along, not wanting anything to get in the way of my match with Blaine. At the Mansion, I knocked on the door properly this time. The door opened almost immediately, Blaine on the other side.

"Nice and early, I like that." He topped off his bald head with a white hat. "Follow me."

I followed Blaine inside the Mansion, going downstairs this time to a dark hallway leading to a few rooms. Like most of the other rooms here, they had no doors, and the only things inside these rooms were beds, all of them occupied with tired workers from last night. At the end of the hallway, Blaine pushed a secret panel on the wall, forcing the wall to swing open, leading to a cave tunnel heading further down. He led the way, asking that I close the door behind me.

The tunnel descended a bit before it started ascending, getting hotter and hotter with every step. I was amazed Blaine wasn't sweating like crazy, seeing as how he was dressed in a white suit. I, on the other hand, was wearing my usual dress and couldn't stop sweating. After climbing more stairs, we came out to a large arena inside a giant cavern. Blaine walked over to the other end, and I noticed the arena rattle a bit when he walked on it. I looked around, seeing that it was actually hanging above a pool of lava on just 4 chains. The motif was pretty clear.

"Would you like a paper fan? I know it can get quite hot here."

"I-I'm okay," I said, wiping off the sweat from my forehead for the umpteenth time already. I reached into my bag for the fan I bought during the festival in Celadon, amazed it was finally coming in handy. The summer had been surprisingly cool this year.

"Well, rules are simple enough: we each get three Pokemon, first to lose all three wins. Would you care to pick first, or should I?"

"You first," I said. "It's your gym."

"Very well." Blaine removed his hat, reaching into it to produce a Pokeball. He threw it out into the field, revealing his first Pokemon, a Ninetails. It was the first time I had ever seen one in person. Even Vulpix was excited to see a familiar Pokemon face.

My first instinct was to use Lapras for the type advantage. But if Blaine had a full roster of fire types, I didn't want to place the burden of the whole battle on Lapras alone. I reached for Primeape's Pokeball, and let him out onto the arena.

"The battle has begun. Ninetails, Fire Spin!"

I couldn't even get my own command in before Ninetails unleashed a wall of fire on Primeape. The flames surrounded him, turning into a giant tornado that kept him locked inside. When the fire finally dissipated, I saw Primeape on the ground, burned badly, but still strong enough to fight. Things were already looking bad.

"Primeape, Fury Swipes!"

He was a bit slower than normal, but Primeape didn't back down. He charged Ninetails, his fists open and his claws out. Fury Swipes was a quick way to even the playing field, but Ninetails nimbly ducked under him.

"Ninetails, Double Kick!"

Primeape turned around, only to take the powerful attack directly in the face. I closed my eyes and turned away, the sight of Primeape losing too much to bear. When I finally looked back, I saw Primeape at Blaine's feet, trying to stand up again.

"Looks to me like Primeape is out of steam." He was right, of course. Even if he could manage to get up after that blow, there was no way he could even manage another attack. I grabbed hold of his Pokeball, ready to withdraw him.

"Primeape, return." I aimed the ball at him, but the beam of light missed as Primeape ducked out of the way. He was intent on staying out there to battle to the very end.

"Stubborn little ape, but that's okay, I can play dirty, too. Ninetails, Flamethrower!"

"Primeape, get out of there!"

Ninetails opened his mouth, letting loose a beam of flames at Primeape. Surprisingly, Primeape managed to evade the attack, barely rolling to a side. If there was a chance he could lay a single blow to Ninetails, he would be willing to return on his own. It was all or nothing.

"Primeape, Thrash!"

Using every ounce of energy he had left, Primeape flew towards Ninetails. This time, the large fox couldn't move out of the way, and Primeape went crazy on the Pokemon, throwing punch after kick with everything he had. After a few seconds, Primeape finished the attack with a single punch, sending Ninetails to the other end of the arena. The fox didn't get back up.

"Ninetails, return!"

After Blaine's Pokemon was out of the ring, Primeape threw both his fists into the air, cheering himself on. Right after, he just fell on his back, completely exhausted.

"Oh, gosh, Primeape!"

I knew there were rules against running out on the arena, but I had to make sure he was okay. Blaine didn't say anything, and let me tend to Primeape for a moment. Other than being completely out of it, he was okay. I gave him a small hug before I put him away.

"Great first show, but can you pull an encore? My next Pokemon!" Blaine reached into his hat again, and threw out another Pokeball. This time, a large, fiery hound showed up. It was an Arcanine. I reached for a Pokeball on my belt, and released Farfetch'd.

"Certainly an odd choice to face Arcanine, but I'll be sure to roast the duck well. Arcanine, Flamethrower!"

"Farfetch'd, fly up high!"

The small duck bit onto his leek and shot upward, just barely dodging the flames from Arcanine. In a straight fight, I knew Farfetch'd probably didn't stand a chance, but as long as he stayed in the air, it was a fair enough fight. Or so I thought.

"Arcanine, get him out of the air!"

"Fly higher, Farfetch'd!"

Arcanine leapt into the air, biting at Farfetch'd, but no matter how high he could jump, there was no way to reach him. Even if Arcanine started shooting fire at him, Farfetch'd could easily dodge the flames. I had locked us into a stalemate, and even Blaine saw it.

"I have to say, you are fiendish, kid."

"What?" I kept my eyes on the arena, making sure Arcanine didn't try anything while Blaine spoke.

"Normally, I'd wait a battle like this out. After all, eventually that duck of yours will have to touch back down, he can't stay flying forever."

"But you're on a deadline," I finished for Blaine, causing him to laugh a little.

"I'll call it a fair draw, and neither of us use these Pokemon again. Deal?"

"Deal."

Blaine called Arcanine back, and I did the same for Farfetch'd. He hadn't gotten a chance to truly battle, but that day would arrive eventually. Since both Primeape and Ninetails had fallen earlier, it was down to this last match to determine the victor. Blaine released his Pokemon first. The Pokeball crashed onto the arena, releasing a hulking, red and yellow monster. It was a Magmar. Saving Lapras until now seemed to be a great idea after all.

I released Lapras, the large Pokemon causing the entire arena to shake a bit too much. I even caught a bit of the cavern wall crumbling where the chains were attached. If the arena fell, the Pokemon would go with it.

"Blaine, is this thing safe to fight on?"

"I have nothing to worry about, Magmars live in the stuff."

"But Lapras doesn't!"

"Oh stop worrying! Just keep your Pokeball handy, and you'll be okay!" It wasn't much consolation, but I kept the Pokeball aimed at Lapras all the same. Blaine had been calling the first shots this entire time, but I needed to finish this battle quickly.

"Lapras, Water Gun!"

Lapras opened its mouth, shooting out a torrent of water at Magmar. I expected the fiery Pokemon to leap out of the way, but all it did was stand there and take the beating. Most of the water evaporated on the spot, but it must've done something of damage.

"Magmar, show her what true fire feels like. Fire Blast!"

Magmar's entire body began to glow brightly, the area around him even starting to burst into flames. I knew something big was coming, and I couldn't risk taking the attack directly.

"Lapras, Ice Beam, now!

The large Pokemon aimed its horn at Magmar, shooting the beam before Magmar could unleash its own attack. I knew ice type moves were ineffective against fire, but I was only trying to dull the blow. I watched in awe as most of the beam melted away before it even hit Magmar, and then the fire Pokemon unleashed its attack. The large symbol of flames flew towards Lapras, and Ice beam was barely slowing it down.

"Lapras, Withdraw!"

He let go of the Ice Beam, and tried his best to hide in its shell before the attack connected. However, the attack was already too close, and Lapras took the brunt of the flames head on. It was almost an explosion of force, as the crash echoed in the cavern. Lapras looked pretty beat down, while Magmar still looked ready for action, if a bit slow from the recoil. Now was my chance to weaken Magmar.

"Lapras, Confuse Ray!"

"What!?"

Blaine hadn't expected that move, and could do nothing as Lapras locked eyes with Magmar. The large fire type stumbled around a bit, trying to keep balance on the arena.

"Magmar, focus, and use Fire Blast again!"

Magmar looked at Blaine, acknowledging the order, but as it turned around to face Lapras again, he stumbled onto the ground. Lapras was hurting bad from the burns, but I needed to take advantage of Magmar's disorientation.

"Lapras, use Water Gun and push Magmar off the arena!"

Blaine didn't say anything about the strategy, as I expected. Lapras aimed at Magmar, and opened his mouth, blasting the Pokemon with a gush of water. Little by little Magmar inched closer and closer to the edge, until finally one more push sent the Pokemon tumbling into the lava below. The battle was ours.

"Yay! I won!" I cheered at the top of my lungs

"Not so fast, kid!"

I looked over to the side of the arena, where Magmar jumped out of the lava, perfectly healthy and recovered. Blaine just smiled underneath his mustache.

"You just gave me all the power Magmar needs to win this fight."

"Actually, I win, as Magmar is disqualified!" I stammered.

"Huh!?" Blaine couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"League rules, Blaine! Pokemon aren't allowed to leave the arena. It wouldn't be fair if you got pushed out and then made a comeback, simply because Magmar wasn't hurt by the lava. None of my Pokemon have that ability." For once, reading the brochure was truly coming in handy.

Blaine was so shocked at what I just said, that he even had to scramble around behind him for a copy of the League rules. It was understandable that he had forgotten, but after having read that brochure, which lists all of the general gym rules and procedures, I had memorized just about every one. After a few moments of flipping through the pages, Blaine snapped the rulebook shut.

"Very clever, kid. You win, I guess."

~o~

Rather than hand me the badge inside that cave, Blaine allowed us to return outside. My cheeks were flushed, I was dripping in sweat, but I was beyond happy to finally be out of that inferno. Blaine, however, still looked fine and dandy in his suit and hat. The only droplet of sweat on his forehead from the technicality I won the battle on. Well, two technicalities.

"I never caught your name, kid."

"It's Star."

"Star, congratulations on earning your Volcanobadge. Though, I have to say, you won it quite devilishly." Blaine produced the badge from his hat, making me wonder just what else he had hidden in there. I took the small item and stuck it onto my trainer card, noting the final slot that needed filling.

"If you'd like, I could challenge you again." With the amount of time he had already spent battling, I knew he wouldn't accept a rematch.

"Well, guess I deserve to lose this one, considering. I take it you're off to Viridian City for your final badge?"

"Yeah, I was there earlier this summer, but the gym was closed. Do you think it'll be open already?"

"I can't speak for any other gyms other than my own, and that's hard to do when you don't have an actual building."

"I see. Well, thank you for everything, Blaine. I'd tell you good luck with your work, but I know-"

"You know what, Star? Let you in on a little secret," Blaine said, cutting me off and leaning in close. "The leader of Viridian City's gym is no pushover. If you want to have any hope of winning, I suggest you brush up on your battling strategies. You won't win a badge there by pushing Pokemon out of bounds."

"So you do know the leader?" I asked.

"You do, too. Be careful, Star; Giovanni fights to the last Pokemon standing. I doubt he'll be too thrilled at seeing you again."

Blaine went back inside the Mansion, leaving me alone outside. The gym leader of Viridian City, Giovanni? How was it that man could take control of a gym run by the League? If he could work his way into there, it made me wonder:

Just how deep did Team Rocket have its claws in the world?


	20. Home Again

Home Again, Chapter 20

I was dirty, smelly, face covered in soot and dirt, dress an absolute mess, but I was home. I wasted no time in getting back to Pallet Town after hearing Blaine's final warning, stopping only at the Pokemon Center to have my friends healed up. Nurse Joy offered me some privacy and a bath to wash up, even. I turned her down, though, eager to get back home.

I pushed Lapras the entire time across Route 21. Unlike the boring ride to Cinnabar, my eyes were fixed on the town that would show up in the north. I don't think I'd ever been so desperate to see Pallet Town like I was that day. We washed up near town, on the same beach where I used to hang out all the time with Deneb when we were kids.

We still were kids, just a little bit older and much wiser.

And like the kid I was, I went running through the dirt roads of Pallet Town, Vulpix trying desperately to keep up with me. I saw a few familiar faces, even an old friend or two, but I didn't stop running. There was really only one person I wanted to see more than anything.

Mom told me she was inside the house, making something to eat, when I nearly broke the door down. She came running with a frying pan in her hands, only to find me standing there. She could hardly believe her eyes, she said, as she heard my voice in person for the first time in almost a month. I hadn't spoken to her since the incident at the Silph Building in Saffron City.

"I'm home, Mom!"

She dropped the frying pan on the floor, and ran over to me. She picked me up and swung me around the room, tears flowing from her eyes, and mine, too. I hugged her as hard as I could right back, but it was nothing compared to her strength. If it was up to her, she'd never let me leave again. Vulpix jumped between the two of us, licking Mom on the face. For just a few seconds, all was right in the world.

~o~

Of course, happy as Mom was to have me back home, after the initial teary-eyed reunion, she got right to being the same crazy Mom I knew and loved. She took my bag and Pokeballs from me, placing them on the table in the kitchen before her finger went pointing towards the bathroom.

"I never raised such a filthy little girl! Get your butt to the bathroom, missy, and wash up!"

And wash up I did. I think Mom even disposed of every piece of clothing I had in my bag, though I couldn't blame her. When you're out on the road as a Pokemon trainer, laundry days are few and far between, so most of the time it was a matter of dipping the clothes in a pond or river and letting them dry as you camped out on the road. I did that myself quite a few times, despite you not hearing about it. If I told you every little thing I did on my journey, you'd be bored to death before I even got to Cerulean City!

Well, after a nice, long bubble bath, I walked into my room to find a brand new yellow dress laid out for me on my bed. Along the bottom hem, towards the left end, there was a patch of a red star. Thrilled by the gift, I quickly slipped into it, and ran downstairs to give Mom a big kiss. The second surprise for me there was a plate of chocolate chip cookies, freshly bought from the store and awaiting my consumption. Vulpix herself could hardly resist chowing down.

"Are you sure it's okay, Mom? Won't this 'spoil my appetite'?" It was a strange experience, to say the least. Before I left, Mom never would've done something like this. I felt like a little kid who was somehow being bribed by her parent for a reason she didn't quite understand yet. Like cookies now, dentist later.

"I can make an exception," she said, kissing me on the forehead. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you, too, Mom. How have you been?"

As I stuffed myself with more cookies than I had ever seen at once in my life, Mom got around to all the latest gossip of Pallet Town. Fortunately for her, she had many other mom friends in town, so she never felt truly lonely. She said her evenings and nights were extra sad, though, without me there for her to tuck in. Even though I was already ten before I left, Mom always tucked me in at night, always saying I would always be her little baby. The embarrassment at school was terrible.

The entire time I was there with her, I didn't have the heart to interrupt her stories and tell her I'd be hitting the road again. There was, after all, still one badge left for me to collect. I'd eaten enough cookies to last me weeks, but Vulpix continued to eat, to which I warned she'd turn into a fatty. She didn't seem to care though, and continued to devour the sweets on the plate.

"Mom, I'm going out for a minute." I eventually said, after she'd quieted down for more than a minute.

"What!? Where are you going?"

"Don't worry, I'm not leaving again," I said, adding in 'not yet' in my head. "Just have to go visit Deneb's mom."

"You want me to walk you there?" She was already reaching for her keys.

"Mom! Did you already forget I was traveling all over the world without you?"

"I'm sorry, it's just been so long, I just want to spend as much time with you as possible before you leave again!"

"Leave again? I never said I was going away." Had she somehow learned to read minds while I was away?

"Oh, Star, you forget I carried you for nine months. That, and I saw this," she held up my trainer card, flipping it over to show me the seven badges affixed to the other side.

"There's one missing, so I know you're going to be leaving again." The look on her face cut deep.

"Don't worry, Mom! The last gym is at Viridian City, so I won't be that far! We'll talk about it when I get back, I have to go talk with Deneb's mom right quick!"

Deneb's house was right next door, though in Pallet Town, next door could easily mean a small hike. Despite there being a small population, most of the houses were pretty far from each other. The front door was open, as usual, so I walked inside, but made sure to knock on the open door before I went any further.

"Hello? Mrs Lucian? Are you home?"

"In here! Please, come in!" She called out from within.

I followed the woman's voice to the kitchen, where she was busy sitting at the table, cutting vegetables for cooking. I sat down at the table next to her.

"Oh my stars, it's Star! Dearie, how've you been?"

"Fine, Mrs Lucian. How about you?" I lowered my head slightly and kept my hands on my lap the entire time. Like Koga, Mrs Lucian was fond of the fancy mannerisms.

"Just great, dearie! I heard from your mother what you did earlier this summer! How could you?" I ducked my head a little, afraid to get the disciplinary smack on the head.

"I'm sorry, Mrs Lucian, but I had to do it! Otherwise, Mom would never have let me go on a Pokemon adventure, like Deneb."

"You children and your Pokemon. Let me tell you: I didn't approve of Deneb's decision at first, but when classes ended, and he begged me, well... I just couldn't say no, you know?"

"Mrs Lucian, that's why I'm here. Have you talked to Deneb recently?"

"Why, just yesterday, dearie. He said he was in Fuchsia City, and had only one final stop to make after that."

"Did he happen to say where he was headed next?"

"He calls in every day, dearie, something you should've done with your poor mother!" Again, I lowered my head, acting ashamed of myself. Not that I didn't want to call Mom every chance I got, it just slipped my mind most of the time.

"Well, when does he usually call?"

"Around eight or nine in the evening, usually. Sometimes he doesn't, because he's out on one of the routes, he says. If you want get in touch with him, you'd best return then, dearie."

~o~

"How did you like dinner, Star?"

"It was delicious! It's been so long since I ate such yummy food!" And that was definitely no lie. Since I always had to run around on a tight budget, especially after the festival at Celadon, my diet was usually water and sandwiches or snacks. Of course, Mom didn't know that, otherwise she'd throw a fit at the thought of her 'baby' not eating right. Then she'd really lock me in my room; crib and all, most likely.

"Glad to hear it! So, how long will you be staying?"

"I'm not really sure. A couple days, probably. I have to talk to Deneb first." I said as I finished what was on my plate. In the corner of the kitchen, Vulpix lay sprawled out on the floor. She had her fill, as well.

"How is he? I'm afraid to say I haven't spoken with Miranda in a few days." Mom collected the plates from the table, preparing to do the dishes.

"I don't know, we last met when I was in Celadon City. We... kinda got into a fight." And for some reason, I was feeling like it was all my fault for no reason.

"Really? You and Deneb? That's certainly something!"

"Why do you say that, Mom? We always fought when we were little."

"Oh, please! Those little scuffles were more about love than anything! I know you have the biggest crush on him! He likes you, too, if I recall-"

"MOM!" I cried out, hiding my face under my arms on the table. All she did was laugh. After my blush died down a little, I looked at the clock, seeing it was almost eight. If Deneb was going to call, it'd be any minute from then to nine, so I had to be on the move. Mom told me to wait, that she was going with me, so I ended up tapping my foot by her as she finished up the dishes.

"You didn't really mean any of that, did you?" I said on the way to Deneb's house. Mom giggled.

"About you being in love with Deneb? Oh sweetie, it's as obvious as the stars in the night sky!" Fortunately for me, it was dark enough to hide my blush.

"R-Really?"

"It's okay, Star," Mom said, patting my head. "I'd like to think it's a silly kids' crush, but the more I think about it, the more obvious it is."

I didn't say anything else the rest of the way. It would only serve to make me blush hotter still. I mean, I liked Deneb. Like liked him. But love? Wasn't that something grown-ups- I mean, adults- experienced? Actually, the rest of the way was so confusing, I almost wished I had spoken to Mom about it some more. I wasn't sure if I should've been thinking like a kid or a grown-up at the time.

"Why, if it isn't Stella! Please, come in." Mrs Lucian met us at the front door this time, though it was still wide open. I never understood why she liked to keep it open always.

"How have you been, Miranda? I'm sorry I haven't come by often, I've been a bit busy at home, you see."

"Quite alright, I understand. So, what have you been-"

"Excuse me, Mrs Lucian," I interrupted, knowing full well the speech about being polite I was most likely about to receive. "Has Deneb called yet?"

"Star!" Mom was about to start the scolding speech, but Mrs Lucian saved me.

"It's alright, Stella. Deneb hasn't called yet, dearie. The phone is in the kitchen, you can sit by it and wait while your mom and I catch up."

"Thank you." I made sure to give a bow and everything, hoping it would ease up the sharp words Mom would swing at me later. I ran into the kitchen before either of them could say anything else.

So I sat and waited. I could hear them talk on and on about the dullest of things, none of them relating to Pokemon. Vulpix wasn't even around to play with, she stayed in my room, feeling a bit sick after eating all those cookies and food. I had warned her, but she kept on chowing. At roughly a quarter to nine, the phone finally rang. I answered it before the annoying voice came on to say 'Ring-ring-ring!'.

"Mom?" Deneb was on the other line.

"No, it's Star! Hi, Deneb!" I practically screamed into the receiver.

"Star? You're back in Pallet Town already?" By this point, the monitor turned on, and we could see each other at last.

"Yeah, I got here earlier today! Where are you?"

"Vermillion City. I'm on my way back to Viridian City, but it's still quite a trip. Not looking forward to Mt Moon again."

"Actually, you don't have to," I told Deneb, remembering what David had told me back on Route 16. "There should be a shortcut available, just outside Vermillion City: a cave or tunnel leading underground."

"I saw it on my way in. Is it safe?"

"My friend David made it! I'm pretty sure it's a safe trip, and it'll take you right outside Pewter City, too!"

"Well, that's a relief," Deneb said, wiping some imaginary sweat from his forehead. "I may be able to make it back to Viridian City then in a couple days. Less if I double time it through the tunnel."

"Don't worry, there's no need for you to rush," I said. "One more day here in Pallet Town would be nice for me."

"Yeah, but I want to get back home, too! I'll go as fast as I can, but I won't overdo it."

"So you're coming all the way back to Pallet Town?" I expected Deneb to want to meet up in Viridian City, to be honest.

"Well, yeah. I'd like to see my own mom again in person. Why?"

"That's okay, actually. It's better this way, see? I know who the leader is, and I think we should come up with a plan before we challenge him." Deneb's brow rose up.

"Who is it?"

"I'd rather not say over the phone, just to be safe." I was actually trying to avoid drawing Lance into this. If he still had me bugged somehow, which I couldn't see how, he'd ruin our chance to get the final badge by scaring Giovanni away again. I made sure to turn my bag inside out after the Silph building, and I couldn't find any more bugs other than the two Lance pointed out.

"Well, fine. Tell my mom I'll be home as soon as possible, and I won't be calling back until then. Faster I move, the faster I can get home."

"Okay, Deneb, I'll let her know. Goodbye."

He nodded his head, and the screen went blank. I didn't notice a hint of anger in his voice, so I guess he was over what had happened the last time we spoke. It was mostly my fault, so if anything, I was the one that had to get over it. Perhaps I could sort it all out for good, now that I was home again. I told Mom and Mrs Lucian what happened, then we returned home.

Vulpix was sleeping soundly when we got back, so I did my best to slip into my nightgown and crawl into bed without waking her up. After Mom tucked me in, as usual, I drifted off to sleep. The only thoughts on my mind as I did were of fond memories, from a time before Pokemon ruled my every thought. Memories of the beach, with Deneb at my side.

~o~

If Giovanni truly was the leader of the Viridian City gym, I knew I had little chance of beating him in a battle. What scared me more, however, was not losing to him, but losing my Pokemon to him. He had shown me before he was not afraid of using the banned moves to win battles, and had no problems killing Pokemon in the process. Maybe it was a bit wimpish of me to go hiding behind Deneb, but I knew he wouldn't turn down my offer to face Giovanni together. And I knew Giovanni wouldn't shy away from a chance to prove his strength in a double Pokemon battle.

However, until Deneb returned to Pallet Town, I was free to enjoy my summer. Classes had already resumed, so hanging out with my friends was not possible until later in the day. Instead, I hanged around the house with Mom for a while in the morning, but eventually I took my Pokeball belt and Vulpix and ran out to the beach. There, I released all my Pokemon, allowing them to frolic about for a while in the warm sun. I, in the meantime, took a nice swim with Lapras, using him as a floating device. I'd sink like a rock on my own, if you recall.

The commotion my Pokemon were causing on the beach, what with them playing around so much, eventually caught the attention of a person I never got the chance to thank for his help earlier in my journey. He walked up onto beach, still wearing his old white lab coat, and enjoying the warm sun as well. Once I saw him on the beach, petting Vulpix and examining the rest of my critters, I told Lapras to take me back to the shore.

"Welcome back, Star. I heard from the neighbors yesterday."

"Hello, Professor Oak," I said, wrapping a towel around myself after getting out of the water. "I never got a chance to thank you for the Pokedex you sent me."

"No problem at all! It's my job to help out you young trainers any way I can. Speaking of which, how's the Pokedex coming along?"

"What do you mean, Professor?"

"What do I-? You mean to tell me you never read the instructions included with the Pokedex?" I looked down at my feet, kicking some sand aside as I came up with an excuse.

"Well, I read how the Pokedex works! That's what you mean, right?" I tried to keep up a smile, but Oak's face wasn't smiling with me.

"There were more instructions, on the other side of the paper!"

"Then no, I didn't. What else was there to say?" Oak's hand shot for his face. I suddenly felt like I was in big trouble.

"Star, the entire reason I hand out the Pokedex to trainers, aside from helping them in their adventures, is so that they help me compile more information about Pokemon! For all the years we've been researching and writing about Pokemon, it's only now that we're actually starting to understand their true nature!"

"And the Pokedex helps somehow?" I tilted my head slightly, like Vulpix would do when she didn't understand what I was telling her.

"It took me years upon years of work to perfect that device! Not only is it uploaded with all the latest information about Pokemon, but it has the power to analyze the characteristics and attributes of individual specimens on the fly. In short, with that device handy, all we need to do is point and click at every single Pokemon in the world, and we'd know everything these is to know about them." Oak was really going on about the Pokedex, making what I was about to tell him all the more difficult and scary.

"Then, I guess now isn't a very good time to say I haven't really been using it, huh?" I was expecting Oak to fly off the handle or something, but I guess he was too old to actually do something so childish. Maybe I was the childish one for thinking he'd do something like that?

"Well, it's okay. With my grandson and the other trainers I sent out earlier this summer, I should have enough information to wrap up the Kanto region. Speaking of which, I want to ask you something, Star."

"Sure thing, Professor. What is it?"

"What are your plans, now that you've returned to Pallet?" It felt like that question you're asked in school so many times. 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' Like we actually think about these things all the time.

"Well, I still have to go to Viridian City for my last badge. Then, I guess I'll be going to Victory Road." It was only now dawning on me just how close to an end my journey was. It all felt so long ago when I started, and now it was only a single battle away.

"Going to Indigo Plateau, then? Perhaps challenge the Elite Four for a chance at becoming a Gym Leader?"

"You mean, that's the reward for collecting all the badges? You become a gym leader?" Up until then, I didn't even know what was the reward for all this.

"Well, Indigo Plateau, the general headquarters of the Pokemon League, holds a competition several times in the year, in every region they hold influence. Pokemon trainers who have proven themselves capable by collecting the eight regional gym badges face off against each other in a massive tournament. The winner then gets a chance to face the Elite Four, the greatest trainers in the land. Win or lose, the usual reward for getting that far is mastery of a Pokemon Gym."

"So, if I were to win, I'd get to sit in a gym and challenge new trainers for badges? Even though I'm only ten?" This knowledge was blowing my mind.

"Age doesn't matter to the Pokemon League, only ability in commanding Pokemon. Surely you saw at least one teenage gym leader on your travels; I believe Brock of Pewter qualifies, or Misty of Cerulean City." Now that he brought it up, Brock was just a teenager. I didn't meet this Misty, though. Only those lazy performers at the Cerulean Gym.

"Well, that's some prize." I said softly before looking away.

Of course, what I didn't say was how lame it'd end up being. Maybe that was the ultimate goal for some trainers, but I couldn't imagine myself sitting in a gym all day, just waiting for trainers to walk in and then battle them. I didn't exactly like battling much myself. I was on the journey for the sights and the adventure, more than anything.

"Well, anyway, the reason I asked was because I'll be needing someone to accompany me to New Bark Town in Johto in a week or two. But, if you're headed to Indigo Plateau, I guess I'll have to find someone else."

I was on this journey, not for the badges or the battles, but for the adventure. I only started this badge collecting thing because Deneb did, just so I could follow him into Victory Road. I now knew what the ultimate reward of the League was, and honestly, I didn't care for it. What reason did I have, then, for going through Victory Road? Professor Oak turned around, heading back into Pallet Town. I pondered the decision for only a moment longer.

"Professor, wait!" I called out, and the older man turned to me.

"Yes?"

"You can count on me! I'll go with you to Johto."

~o~

"WHAT!?"

Mom's scream must've been heard by Mrs Lucian next door, seeing as how even my ears started to hurt a little. She hadn't taken the news of Oak's proposal very well, despite the man himself sitting next to me at the table. I knew coming back home before I was done with the adventure would be a bad idea, especially if I was to leave again so soon.

"Mrs Light, there's nothing to worry about! An acquaintance of mine will be picking us up here sometime next week. Your daughter won't be in any danger, at least, not compared to the journey she's already taken around the region." I have to say, Oak wasn't making a very strong case for my defense. Mom knew a Pokemon adventure wasn't the safest thing, but reminding her of that detail was never a good idea.

"Star has only just gotten back! And already you want her to leave again!?"

"Mom, to be fair, I was planning on heading to Viridian City, so-"

"That's different! It's just one town over! Mr Oak here wants you to go to a different country almost!" I don't think I'd ever seen Mom so openly enraged before that day.

"Mrs Light, its just another region, practically next door," Oak reasoned. "We won't be more than a day away by car."

"I won't have it, Oak. I appreciate the offer on Star's behalf, but she won't be going."

Mom collected his plate, and mine as well, despite the fact we hadn't finished eating. With her back turned, Vulpix took this opportunity to scurry away upstairs. She always ran to hide under my bed when Mom started screaming. I looked over to Professor Oak, who shrugged his shoulders. There was little else he could do. After all, Mpm was my mom, and in charge. I could still plead my case, though.

"Mom, I already left before, what's so different about this time?"

"Star, I've said enough about this matter. Please show Mr Oak the door." She didn't even look at me as she spoke, something that always made me mad.

"Mom, I'm going with Professor Oak, like it or not."

My words would cost me, as mom dropped what she was cleaning, wiped her right hand, and gave me a swift, but strong, swap on the mouth for talking back.

"Don't you ever talk back to me, young lady!" I fought back the tears, but they were going to pour out anyway.

"If you don't let me go, I'll just run away again! I'm not a baby anymore, Mom!"

I felt Professor Oak get up from the table and leave, which was probably for the best. These little disputes were always hard to watch for outsiders. Mom herself could hardly believe what she was hearing.

"I came back because I missed you, and this is how you treat me? If I go again, I won't come back, ever!"

I didn't give her a chance to answer, as I ran out the door after Professor Oak. The old scientist was standing by the porch, silently looking up at the night sky. I wiped away my tears before I walked up to him.

"It's alright, Star. You shouldn't get in trouble on my account."

"It's okay, Professor," I said, drying out my eyes. "Mom's always been like that. I'll still go with you."

Before Oak could convince me otherwise, I heard Mom calling me back inside the house. Her voice didn't sound angry anymore, meaning she had calmed down a bit. What I said must've hurt her, and that made my heart beat faster and faster. Guilt. And I didn't like it.

"Please wait, Professor. I'll be right back."

I went back inside the house, seeing Mom sitting down at the table. She was crying, and seeing that alone got me all soft as well. I walked up to her, leaning in close to her face. She wiped away some of the tears, looking at me directly.

"Star, I'm sorry I hit you. I didn't," she said, hardly getting the words out through the sobs. By this point I was crying, too, and just gave her a hug.

"I don't want to leave you like that again, Mom," I said, almost whispering. "I want you to see me off with a smile, to say 'good luck!'"

"It's just, that I miss you so much, I don't want you to leave."

"And I miss you, too. But I want to keep traveling Mom. I like it. Please?"

She didn't say anything else. She pulled me away from her, just enough so we looked each other in the eyes. She nodded her head, which was more than enough. I gave her another hug, and we just stayed there for the longest time. I noticed Professor Oak glance through the open front door, and give me a small wave before he left. Nothing more was said that night. Except, for one, customary thing:

"Good night, Star."

As Mom tucked me in that night.

~o~

The next morning, Mom had left breakfast ready for me downstairs, along with a note. She had to run a few errands, and wouldn't be back until late. She asked me to promise I wouldn't leave for Viridian City that day, a promise I intended to keep. Aside from the fact Deneb hadn't arrived back.

After breakfast, I went outside with Vulpix for a little while. Last night had been quite an evening, so it felt good to take in the fresh air. I was going to pay a visit to Professor Oak's lab, when I saw someone riding into town on a bicycle. It was Deneb! He rode up beside me, looking pretty bushed.

"Hey, Star."

"Hi," I said, with a smile on my face. Vulpix wasn't sure how to respond, seeing as how we had fought the last time we were together.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to get back, wasn't easy biking halfway through the entire region. That tunnel you told me about was really helpful, though." Actually, I almost wished I hadn't said anything. More time in Pallet with Mom wouldn't have been a bad idea now.

"Mom asked me to stay here at least one more night. Is it okay if we leave for Viridian City tomorrow or the day after?"

"That's cool. I'm going home for a while, I'd like to take a nap, or something."

"You've earned it," I replied, putting my hand on his shoulder. I quickly retracted it, once I saw just how dirty his clothes were. "Be sure to change, too."

"Yes, Mom. I'll see you later?"

"I'll be at Professor Oak's place, I need to talk to him about something."

Deneb nodded, and rode off towards his house, just a short ride away. Vulpix scratched my leg, asking to be carried in my arms. I did, only to have her lick my face. She finally caught on that we were on good terms again.

At Professor Oak's lab, I found him typing something up on a computer. He only had one other aide in the lab, and he was no where to be seen. Must've gone out for coffee or something. I didn't like the stuff, guess it was a grown-up thing.

"Star, how are you this morning?"

"Fine, Professor. I'm sorry you had to be there last night, with Mom getting angry like that."

"It's okay, I understand. Did everything work out?" I nodded.

"Yeah, it's okay. So, when do we leave?"

"In about a week. We'll be heading out past Tohjo Falls and into New Bark Town. A colleague of mine, Mr Pokemon, will be picking us up in his car. Better than going all the way on foot, right?"

"Mr Pokemon? Is that really his name?" Oak laughed at the question, but you could see why I was confused.

"Of course not! I'm afraid I don't know his real name, when we first met he introduced himself as such, and I never really got around to asking him. All the same, he's a top researcher, though he does it more as a hobby than a line of work."

"I see," I looked around the lab, taking it all in for the first time. Since I never really looked at the possibility of training Pokemon, I never wandered into Oak's lab when I was little. I know Deneb was always hanging around here, though.

"Well, the reason we're off to New Bark Town: another colleague of mine, Professor Elm, has discovered something extraordinary regarding Pokemon evolution. I'm the leading expert on Pokemon-Human Interaction, in case you didn't know." That I didn't, actually.

"I guess there's too much to learn about Pokemon for you to know it all, huh?"

"You can't begin to imagine. I have other colleagues all over the world, each specializing in different branches of Pokemon study. Perhaps one day you'll get to meet each and every one of them."

There was a knock on the front door. I realized it could be Deneb, so I held onto Oak's coat before he could open the door for him.

"Professor, please don't say anything about the trip to Deneb, if it's him."

"Why not, Star?"

"I'll tell him. I made him a promise about something, and I don't want to tell him yet."

Oak nodded, and left to open the door. The trip to Johto would indeed be breaking the promise I practically forced Deneb to make. If that came up now, there was chance he'd be angry enough to not help me against Giovanni. I couldn't run that risk.

"Hey, Star, long time." Deneb said from the other side of the open doorway.

"Yeah, all of an hour! I thought you were going to take a nap or something?"

"I'll rest up early tonight," Deneb said, pulling out his Pokedex and handing it to Oak. "Professor, here's the Pokedex. I tried to scan as many Pokemon as I could on my trip."

"Thank you, Deneb. Let me upload this info. It'll only take a minute."

With Oak busy, I grabbed Deneb by the hand and led him to a corner to talk about the gym match. I didn't know if the professor would try to inform the police if he knew, so I kept my voice down.

"Deneb, I want your help against the Viridian City leader."

"Who is it, Star? Ever since the call, I've been wondering who it could be that you'd be so freaked out."

"His name is Giovanni. He's also the boss of Team Rocket." Deneb could hardly believe what he was hearing.

"You serious? How do you know?"

"I've met him before. You know the problems in Saffron City? They were because of Team Rocket, and I was there."

I gave Deneb the short version of the events, of how I got into the Silph building, met Giovanni for the second time, and had Lance break me out. The worst part, of course, was how Giovanni's Nidoking killed Lance's Pokemon. Deneb looked skeptical, but who could blame him? For a normal trainer, I sure had my fair share of run-ins with Team Rocket's boss. I also told him my plan of tag-teaming against Giovanni in a single battle.

"If you're right, what makes you think he'll agree to a fight like that?"

"I know he will. I've already led Lance to him twice. He'll want revenge, and he has the perfect cover as a gym leader. I know my Pokemon might not be enough to beat him, but with your help..."

"I know. Okay, Star, we'll go with your idea."

"All finished!" Oak walked over to us, handing the device back to Deneb. "So, what did I miss?"

"Nothing at all, professor!" Deneb took back the device, smiling most suspiciously.

"Yeah, nothing at all!" My own smile probably tipped Oak off, but he never bothered to ask what we were hiding.

~o~

We spent the entire day sharing stories on the beach just outside town. We both had to get a feel for each other's battling strategies, so that we could best prepare for the battle tomorrow. I was shocked at how different Deneb's trip turned out to be, compared to mine.

After beating Brock in Pewter City, he crawled through Mt Moon all on his own. After finally making it to Cerulean City, he battled those sisters that worked at the Cerulean Gym, fairly earning his badge. From there, he went east on Route 9, taking the Rock Tunnel to Route 10, and finally arriving in Lavender Town. With Saffron closed off, he took a harder road around the city, skipping Vermillion entirely in favor of Celadon. After we met there, he traveled to Saffron, and finally Vermillion.

To my surprise, and sadness, he managed to win himself a trip on the S.S. Anne, that large cruise ship I had seen arriving at Vermillion's port while I was there. It took him to Cinnabar Island, where he managed to face Blaine after tracking him down, and the ship then stopped again at Fuchsia City. Looking back on my own adventure, I probably wouldn't have made it past Sabrina if I had followed Deneb's road.

We discussed battle strategies to use against Giovanni, the details of which I'll spare you for now. It was getting late, so we each went back to our own houses, and a little while later Mom finally came back. By the look of the shopping bags, she had driven all the way out to Viridian City. The bags were all filled with brand new clothes for me.

"What's all this Mom?"

"A bribe. You get to keep all this, if you don't go with Professor Oak." I couldn't believe we were talking about this again.

"Mom..."

"I'm kidding! This is all for you, sweetie, for your new trip. Complete," she said, pulling out a box from another bag, "with a new travel bag!"

"Thanks, Mom! Though, mine was still good."

"Oh please, that thing was all dirty and beaten up! This is the latest fashion in Johto, or so the store clerk told me. And most importantly, this!"

Mom reached into her purse, pulling out a smaller box. It was a white and pink device, with a small screen in the center, and a flip open design. It looked a bit like the Pokedex, but I wasn't sure what it was. Mom handed it to me, so I could read the description.

"Pokegear? What's this?"

"The answer to our problems! It's a new little tool that lets Pokemon trainers keep in touch, no matter where they are. With this, you can call me anytime you want, or I can call you anytime I need!"

"Wow, so it's a portable phone?" Which only meant Mom wouldn't stop calling me, now that she could.

"Not only that, but it also has many other uses! It comes with a built-in radio, map navigation, the perfect tool for the trainer on the go!" Suddenly, I almost wanted my old, angry Mom back. This new, helping Mom was starting to scare me.

"Thanks, Mom. For everything." I gave her a hug, at least trying to be happy for everything.

"I know we said some pretty nasty things to each other last night, but I don't want that to happen ever again. With this, we can keep in touch as much as we want!"

"Okay, but I only have one rule, Mom." She pulled away and looked at me with a skeptical gaze.

"Yes?"

"Please don't call me too much! And if we're on the phone, please don't start saying anything embarrassing! Sometimes people around me can hear you."

"That's two rules, sweetie." She said flatly.

"Please?"

She smiled and nodded, giving me another hug.

That night, I spent quite a while getting everything packed for my next trip. It wouldn't be for another few days, but I wanted to be ready at the drop of a hat. For tomorrow's trip to Viridian, I was still going to be using my old bag, for one last trip. I'd be wearing that new yellow dress, the one with the red star. It would be my sign of hope, and the symbol of my victory over Giovanni.


	21. Giovanni's Earthbadge

Giovanni's Earthbadge, Chapter 21

Together, Deneb and I were off to Viridian City on our bikes first thing in the morning. Mom had packed us a delicious lunch, and even some of last night's leftovers in case we were extra hungry. I even had to keep her quiet before leaving, so she didn't let Deneb in on the fact I was headed to Johto. That was something I had to do myself. With Vulpix in her basket, we sped out of Pallet Town, intent on making it to Viridian City before noon.

We stuck to the main road, not wanting to tire our Pokemon with pointless battles against wild ones in the tall grass. It was around here where my first battle took place. That Rattata nearly bit my finger off. The fond memories seemed to come back to Deneb, too.

"You remember when you first came down this road, Star?" He asked not long after we left Pallet.

"Well, not the first time, but as a Pokemon trainer, yeah." I pointed over to some random tree. "Around there, I think, I ran into my first ever wild Pokemon."

"I caught a Spearow here myself, my first catch. Still have him with me."

"My first catch was on Route 22, the day after we met on the road. I caught a Mankey."

"Lucky, I tried finding one, but I didn't have any luck that evening."

Most of the ride was pretty quiet, with the occasional snippet of conversation here and there. I guess we were both stuck in similar dilemmas. I didn't want to get any closer to Deneb, seeing as how I was off to Johto soon, and he probably didn't want to say much after what happened at Celadon City. We seemed to get along just fine yesterday on the beach, but that talk was mostly battle prep. As we approached Viridian City, though, I just had to ask Deneb.

"Are you looking forward to Victory Road?"

"I'm a little scared, to be honest. Compared to most other trainers, we've only been out on the road for a couple months. Many others spend almost a year working to earn their badges, makes me feel like we took all the shortcuts."

"And your Pokemon? You think you'll be able to win with them?"

"I'd be more worried about your Pokemon, Star," Deneb said, looking over at Vulpix. "When do you plan on evolving Vulpix?"

"Evolve? What do you mean?" Until that day, the thought of having Vulpix turn into something else, even if it was a bigger version of herself, had just never crossed me. I knew that a Vulpix only evolved when exposed to a Fire Stone, so I was always happy knowing she'd never evolve on her own.

"If you're planning on entering the tournament at Indigo Plateau, I don't think Vulpix will be much help. Maybe it's time to have her evolve?" Deneb's suggestion was simply preposterous.

"Not happening. Vulpix has always been my friend, and I won't force her to evolve, especially not for some battle."

"Okay, your Pokemon. Just letting you know, those fights won't be easy."

What I wanted to tell him, of course, was that I wasn't going to be in them. Of course, I bit my tongue.

~o~

We finally arrived at Viridian City. As we made our way to the gym, I noticed the Pokemon Center was almost back to normal, since it was destroyed when I first started out. I remembered Nurse Joy telling Mom it was some kid and his Pikachu, which reminded me of Pewter City. Could that have been the same boy?

We rode up to the gym, parking our bikes just outside the building. We stood together at the door, not sure if we were ready to enter. After I took a few deep breaths, Deneb opened the door, taking me by the hand to lead me through the door. Were I not so preoccupied by the impending battle, I'd have been embarrassed by the gesture.

The arena was massive, far larger than even Brock's. But like Brock's, it was covered entirely in dirt and sand in small patches, the large Pokeball symbol in the center hardly noticeable. Sitting high above the arena, on the far side of the gym, as usual, was the leader. Even at such a distance, I knew the man all too well. Dressed in his black suit, sinister eyes piercing through us.

"Welcome to the Viridian City Gym, Star. I see you've brought company, and it isn't Lance." Giovanni hadn't forgotten me, which sent a bit of a chill down my spine.

"We've come to challenge you Giovanni! We both challenge you to a double battle for a badge!" It took a bit of work to keep my voice steady.

The man stood from his chair, towering over us from his platform roughly ten feet in the air.

"Come now, Star, you know the League rules state only one challenger can face me at a time." My heart skipped a beat. If he followed the rules now, I'd probably never be able to beat him. I scoured my mind for only a moment before speaking again. My last shot.

"I didn't know you followed the rules, not after what happened at the Silph Building!"

It was because Giovanni was so far away, so tiny in the distance, that I seemed to draw up courage from within. Up close, I wouldn't dare say any of this to the man. Deneb, on the other hand, remained silent, judging the leader with his own eyes.

"I have to admit, it has been terribly boring complying with my duties here. The last few trainers that challenged me proved to be quite disappointing. I'll accept your challenge then, Star, and your friend's. Please step into the challenger's podium."

Behind us, a portion of the ground rose up a step. We followed his orders and walked onto the platform. Once on, the thing rose up another few feet, putting us on the same level as Giovanni. We were still too far to see his face clearly enough.

"I'm guessing he'll be using earth types, Star, so go with any water type you have," Deneb whispered into my ear.

"The rules for the match are as follows: four Pokemon versus four. Since you two wish to challenge me together, that means each of you get two entries. Should either of you exhaust your two Pokemon, the battle is mine on both your accounts." Even now, he was bending the rules to his favor.

We agreed to the terms. It was technically still an even playing field, but I knew that even with all our battle prep, Giovanni could still coordinate his two Pokemon more efficiently than we could. We were walking into this battle with quite the handicap, mostly on my account.

"Very well, release your first Pokemon." Giovanni dropped two Pokeballs from his podium, exploding to reveal a Rhydon and a Persian. Like Deneb had suggested, I went with Lapras, and he chose his Venusaur. I looked at Deneb, and he looked back at me. We had practiced how to coordinate our attacks on the beach the previous day, so now we'd see just how well we prepared. With a sound of a bell, the battle had begun.

"Persian, Quick Attack! Rhydon, Dig!"

"Venusaur, ready Solar Beam!"

"Lapras, cover Venusaur with Withdraw!"

Rhydon buried into the ground, while Persian vanished from our sight. Venusaur backed up a little, storing up his power for Solar Beam, while Lapras slid in front of him and balled up in his shell. Persian rammed right into Lapras's shell, bouncing back. I took the chance to counter the attack.

"Lapras, Ice Beam!"

"Persian, Faint Attack!"

Lapras came out of its shell, only to take Persian's attack directly. Lapras reeled back a little, losing his focus and shooting the Ice Beam into the air instead. I started to realize the mistake of going in for the counter.

"Lapras, Withdraw!"

"Persian, Fury Swipes! Rhydon, Fury Attack!"

Lapras made an effort to hide again, but Persian was too close, and managed to start swiping at him before he could. After several painful scratches, Rhydon came flying out of the ground, knocking Lapras into the air. On the way down, Rhydon grabbed Lapras, repeatedly driving its horn into Lapras's soft underbelly.

"Venusaur, Solar Beam on Rhydon!"

"Persian, cover Rhydon!"

Venusaur let out a mighty roar, ducking forward to unleash a massive beam of rainbow colored energy at Rhydon. However, Persian managed to leap in front of Rhydon, taking the blow in his place, and fainting. Rhydon continued to attack Lapras, until finally it threw him over to a side. Lapras was knocked out as well. I called back Lapras, and Giovanni did the same for Persian. Without wasting a second, he released his next Pokemon, Nidoqueen.

"Star, I need some back up here!" Deneb's eyes were fixed on the battlefield, and his Venusaur was left wide open.

"Going!" I reached for Primeape's Pokeball, knowing he was my strongest critter. If Nidoking was Giovanni's last Pokemon, I knew only Primeape stood a chance. I released the ape, who was quite small compared to the competition out on the field.

"We need to get rid of that Rhydon, it's too strong!" Deneb shouted.

"I'll distract it, you ready another Solar Beam!" I pointed to Rhydon. "Primeape, Karate Chop!"

"Nidoqueen, Earthquake! Rhydon, Horn Drill!"

The dreaded attack, and Giovanni's Rhydon was also capable of using it. I was about to order Primeape to avoid the attack, when Nidoqueen caused the entire arena to shake. The quake was strong enough to stop Venusaur from charging up the Solar Beam, knock Primeape down, and even us on top of the podium in the air! Rhydon was unaffected, however, and went charging towards Primeape, the horn on its head spinning at blazing speeds.

"Primeape, run!"

For once, Primeape's disregard of my orders proved helpful. Rather than try to run, Primeape stayed on the ground, using it to support his back as he held Rhydon's deadly horn at bay with his bare hands! I could see from the podium as the spinning drill was burning through his hands, but Primeape didn't let go, forcing Rhydon back further.

"Nidoqueen, Fury Swipes!"

"Venusaur, Body Slam her!"

Nidoqueen tried to beat the considerably slower Venusaur to Primeape, as a single attack would send Rhydon's Horn Drill attack right into the monkey. Fortunately, Venusaur managed to stop Nidoqueen in her tracks, but Primeape's hands were starting to lose their strength in holding back Rhydon.

"Venusaur, Vine Whip both of them!"

Over a dozen live vines shot out from Venusaur's back, half of them wrapping around Rhydon's midsection, and the other half whipping at the floored Nidoqueen. With a single motion, Venusaur lifted the large rock Pokemon off the ground and Primeape, sending it flying towards Nidoqueen. Deneb must've planned that, as the spinning horn dug into Nidoqueen for a moment before Rhydon stopped the attack. Nidoqueen wasn't dead, but she was pretty roughed up. Giovanni recalled her.

"Bravo. You're certainly a better trainer than your friend, kid." Giovanni released his final Pokemon, the Nidoking. It was now his two strongest against ours. Primeape was in bad shape, and Venusaur was looking pretty tired already.

"Star," Deneb whispered, formulating another plan, "I need Primeape to cover Venusaur again. We can't take them both on at the same time, we have to knock one of them out."

"Primeape can hardly fight anymore! What should I do?"

"Rhydon, Nidoking, Dig!" Giovanni had no reason to wait on our planning, and now both his Pokemon were out of sight.

"Never mind that plan, tell him to run!" Deneb said as he turned his gaze back to the arena.

"Primeape, get out of there! Don't stop moving!"

"Venusaur, wait for my signal!"

It was almost comical, seeing Primeape dashing about the arena, moving in all sorts of erratic patterns. In the meantime, Venusaur just stood there, an easy target for Giovanni's Pokemon. Just what was Deneb planning? After another few tense seconds, something started digging out of the ground around Venusaur.

"Poison Powder, now!"

The large green Pokemon released a giant cloud of purple dust, covering the area all around him. The two Pokemon sprung out of the ground, clawing away at Venusaur, despite the harmful powder landing all over their skin. Deneb wasted no time in calling Venusaur back, preventing the full assault from the two opponent Pokemon. Right after, he released his second choice, a Fearow.

"Fearow? Isn't that a bad choice for this battle, Deneb?"

"Just watch: Fearow, Fly, and take Primeape with you!"

The large bird took to the sky, swooping down to pick up Primeape. Since both of Giovanni's Pokemon had been poisoned before Venusaur fell, it was only a matter of time before they fainted. Giovanni had other plans, however.

"Nidoking, Seismic Toss Rhydon!"

The large purple Pokemon grabbed hold of Rhydon, leaping high into the air. Rather than throwing him back down, he swung him straight towards Fearow and Primeape.

"Primeape, Mega Punch!"

I called the attack in just in time. Fearow backed up a little, giving Primeape a chance to reel back his fist, and sent Rhydon flying back towards Nidoking. Both Pokemon went crashing back to the ground, Rhydon hardly able to get up after.

"Fearow, swoop down on them!" I picked up on Deneb's plan, and followed up.

"Primeape, Low Kick!"

By the time both critters were back on their feet, Fearow swooped down across both, with Primeape's foot out and stiff. The kick sent Rhydon crashing back into the ground, and Nidoking nearly spun in a full circle. Rhydon wouldn't get up again. Fearow lowered back to the ground, dropping Primeape off. Nidoking could hardly move at this point, tired from the blows and the poison eating away at him.

"Primeape, finish with Thrash!"

"Fearow, Sand-Attack!"

The large bird flew in fast, stopping just shy of Nidoking's face. The sand it kicked up with his huge wings blinded Nidoking completely, allowing Primeape to deliver the full force of his Thrash attack on Nidoking. After a few seconds of watching the powerful beating, Nidoking also fell over.

We had won the battle.

~o~

"On behalf of the Viridian City Gym, I bestow you trainers with the Earthbadge, symbol of victory in the eyes of the Pokemon League."

Giovanni, finally before our very eyes, handed us each a badge. The final one looked like a little green leaf, the symbol of our victory indeed. He turned around to return to his podium, but I just had to gloat a bit more.

"How does it feel to lose, huh?" Deneb nudged me to stop, but that man deserved every insult I could throw at him. Thankfully for him, Mom never let me swear, so I didn't know any at the time.

"I'd listen to your friend, Star. You'd be wise not to insult me personally."

"What are you gonna do, huh?" I barked defiantly.

"Star, stop! Don't you know gym leaders can take away your trainer card?" I looked at Deneb, finding it hard to believe that leaders actually had that kind of power.

"He's right, you know. So I suggest you leave my gym, before I decide to use my power. Know what happens to Pokemon in the possession of the trainer if I were to revoke their card?"

"And what about you? You're the leader of Team Rocket! Doesn't that mean anything to the League!?" Deneb didn't say anything, either because he didn't know, or knew it was completely unfair. Of course, Giovanni had no problems letting me in on it.

"Being an official Gym Leader, I am immune to any and all baseless accusations. Not even Lance himself can do anything about it, since he has no proof I have any ties to Team Rocket." I couldn't believe my ears.

"You mean, you can just sit here, in plain sight, and no one can do anything about it!?" Deneb tugged at my arm after my little outburst.

"Star, unless Lance brings hard proof that Giovanni is the leader of Team Rocket, he doesn't have to hide himself while he's here. It sucks, but there's nothing we can do. Let's just go."

The last I saw of Giovanni was his smug grin. I was furious, to say the least, that he was standing right there, and no one could touch him. I realized it must've been worse for Lance, knowing all along who Giovanni was, and never getting the proof he needed to stop him. And every time he seemed to get close, I was always around to ruin the plan. That wasn't the last I saw of Giovanni, but I wouldn't see him again for some time.

~o~

Outside the gym, Deneb arranged his final badge on his backpack. I did the same on my trainer card, still fuming at everything I just heard. Deneb noticed, so he gave me a pat on the back.

"Relax, Star," he said, looking at the building behind us for a moment. "I'm sure Lance will eventually find what he needs to stop Giovanni."

"How do you know Lance?"

"Every trainer knows Lance, Star. He's the current Pokemon Champion of both Kanto and Johto!"

"What!?" All that time, I was being saved by the Pokemon Champion himself. To think!

"Just how did you know Lance, but not that?"

"Well, I met him a couple times, in Celadon and Saffron. He only introduced himself as Lance, not as the Pokemon Champion. I never knew!" That was probably a weak excuse, given that being a Pokemon Trainer, I should've known all the same.

"Figures, he wouldn't go around saying who he was openly. I'm a bit jealous you got to meet him in person before me!"

Deneb hopped on his bike, and I got on mine. Our next stop was the Pokemon Center. I'd have to tell him soon enough, but I was trying to hold out as long as possible. After we gave our Pokemon to Nurse Joy, who still had to work outside since the center wasn't quite finished yet, we sat down nearby to have our lunch. Though the food was delicious, I could hardly enjoy it.

"What's wrong, Star? Aren't you hungry? We should be jumping up and down like crazy people! We're finally on our way to Victory Road!" Deneb was eating as fast as he possibly could, barely containing the joy of this latest accomplishment.

"Deneb," I said, finally unable to hold it in anymore. "I'm not going."

"What? What do you mean?" He looked at me, the joy of our victory gone in an instant.

"I'm not going with you to Victory Road."

The silence between us lasted for quite a while. I continued to push my lunch around in its container, while Deneb just sat there, staring blankly in my general direction. I couldn't bare to look at him directly.

"Star, what are you talking about?" He finally asked.

"Professor Oak asked me to accompany him to New Bark Town, in Johto. I thought about it for a while, and decided to go with him."

"You mean," Deneb said, hardly able to get the words out right, "You mean, after all you've been through, you're just going to give up on entering Indigo Plateau?"

"I got to thinking, Deneb. When I started this journey, I did it because you left Pallet Town. I wanted to follow you, I wanted to be on a Pokemon adventure, just like you. Right beside you, actually." I put my plastic fork inside the container, and sealed it shut. I wasn't going to be eating anything after all.

"Star, I promised you we could go on together, after we came back to Viridian City! Why-?"

"After we talked in Cerulean," I continued, cutting him off, "I thought, 'if I just get through all these gyms, I can finally be at his side'! That was what kept me going, what kept me battling all those people. Then, I met Sabrina."

"Star, about what I said that time..."

"It's okay, I was still confused, then. After that, I started to doubt myself, wondering just why I really was going through with the gym challenges. Was it because I wanted to, or was it because you wanted to, and that was the only way I could stay with you? Well, I pushed all that back, and just kept moving.

"Finally, a couple days ago, the professor asked me if I could go with him to Johto. I was still planning on going to Victory Road, but then he told me what was really past it all. The tournament, the battles, it just wasn't for me. That was your dream, not mine. I was just following your lead."

Deneb didn't say anything. Thankful, I kept talking. Had he said anything else, I might not have made it through all that without crying. It was hard enough as it was.

"So, when I told him yes, I realized something. A Pokemon adventure, that was your decision. The Pokemon League, too. What had I chosen? When Oak offered me that trip, I realized what I wanted to do. It was the first time I made a decision for myself." I reached for Vulpix, and gave her a hug.

"I'm going to Johto, to continue my own adventure. I won't be trying to get into the Pokemon League, not anymore."

"I..." Deneb started, but cut off. He was probably going to say he understood, which was what anyone would've said. He may have even felt a bit responsible for dragging me all around Kanto, if unwittingly. Since he was having trouble coming up with an answer, I said one final thing to ease his mind.

"It wasn't your fault, Deneb. After all, the gym battles were really helpful, and they do make a great roadmap!" I gave him a smile, a smile that would hopefully allow him to relax. Unfortunately, it was just barely ruined by a single tear that escaped my left eye. I went to wipe it off, but Deneb reached out and stopped me.

"I wish," he said, scooting over a bit closer, "I wish things had been different. Maybe I should've let you join me."

"Then it wouldn't have been your dream, but mine."

"Then I could've made it our dream, instead." Deneb leaned in closer, and instinctively, I closed my eyes. His lips touched mine, and we both shared each other's first kiss. It was a moment too magical to describe in words. A moment I wish never ended.

~o~

I gave Mom a call on my new Pokegear, telling her to come pick me up. By car, it'd only be an hour or so, and I really didn't want to make the long bike ride back home alone. Deneb left a little while after we finished eating. I watched him ride off down Route 22, while Vulpix sat on her hind legs and waved as he left. Of course, it wasn't the last time I'd ever see Deneb, but it would be a long time until I did see him again. But, after all, like he once told me.

'Absence makes the heart grow fonder'. Something he read in a love poem somewhere.

Mom arrived when the sun was starting to set. I got into the car, and didn't say much the entire trip back. She probably assumed I was sad over the debate I had with Deneb over not going with him to Victory Road. Of course, mothers can't contain themselves, so she eventually asked along the drive back.

"You get into a fight with Deneb?"

"No, it was okay."

"Then why are you sad, honey? Didn't get that last badge?" To answer her, I just handed her my trainer card. After she saw the eight badges on the back, she handed it back to me.

"Then what's wrong, baby?"

"I'm not a baby, Mom."

"Talk to me, Star! I don't like it when you're so quiet like that."

"It's nothing, I promise! I'm just sad to see Deneb go."

It wasn't enough to satisfy her curiosity, but enough to get her off my back. I sighed as I looked out the window of the car, watching the trees zoom by. I passed my finger across my lips, remembering a moment that now seemed so long ago. We wouldn't be together for a while, but at least it was pretty much set in stone between us. That kiss finally proved what I had suspected almost since the day I met Deneb.

He really did love me back.

I couldn't be sure, but I think Mom caught on to what I was thinking about that evening in the car. At least, I remember her smiling after she saw me smiling at myself through my reflection. And she never brought it up, something I still thank her for to this very day.


	22. Star Light, Age Seven

Star Light, Age Seven, Chapter 22

The trip to New Bark Town wouldn't happen for another few days, so I would get to spend a bit more time with Mom in Pallet Town. What I hadn't counted on was just how dull these days would seemingly turn out to be. With Deneb on his way to Victory Road, or already there, I had virtually no one to talk to.

Mom was great and all, and since the little spat we had that night, we were getting along much better than ever. Before, she was strictly my mother, and I always saw her as such. Now, she was acting more like a friend, or at worst a big sister. It was both refreshing and a bit off-kilter, to be honest. But even then, she didn't know all that much about Pokemon, so what little we could talk about dried up quick. I most certainly couldn't tell her much about my travels, since that would only rattle her.

Speaking with Professor Oak wouldn't have been that bad were he available. Unfortunately, he was locked away in his lab those days as he prepared for the trip. For him, it wasn't as simple as packing a bag and being off. He had to make sure all his papers were in order, his aides knew what to do in any scenario, and a whole bunch of other stuff I didn't even pretend to understand.

"I'm sorry, Star. But you understand," he said to me at one point. All I could do was nod and walk off dejected.

And of course, Vulpix wasn't a chatterbox like me. So who did I have left?

My second day in town turned out to be a Saturday. Since I left, I hadn't kept track of the days of the week, so it was quite the surprise for me. Luckily, that meant that the kids still in school would be free to hang out with.

That morning, I looked out from my bedroom window, watching in awe as the wide open streets and pastures of Pallet were filled with kids. It was a world I had long since forgotten, and now sorely missed. Without thinking twice about it, I slipped into a dress and ran downstairs. Mom told me to be careful out there, as was the norm, and I was free to hang out with all sorts of familiar faces.

"Hey, guys!" I called out to the first random group of kids I saw. They looked at me for only a moment, then to Vulpix who was following me as usual.

"Who are you?" One of the kids asked, a boy in casual shorts who looked a year or so younger than me.

"My name is Star! I just came back home after a Pokemon adventure!" I said with a bright and vibrant smile. Perhaps a little too vibrant.

"Oh, really?" The boy said flatly. Not the reaction I was expecting, to be sure.

"So what do you want?" Another boy in the group said.

"Well, I just wanted to hang out, you know? It's been a while since I got to just relax." I said, scratching my arm.

"Don't you have any friends of your own?" Said the boy in the shorts.

"Yeah, we don't know you." Said the other boy.

"You don't have to be so mean to her!" Piped up the girl of the group, who had tried to stay out of this as long as she could.

"You want to hang out with her, go ahead! We're going to the beach!" Said the shorts-wearing boy, who was starting to get on my nerves.

Without even giving the girl a chance to respond, both he and his equally snooty friend walked off. Once we were alone, I tried to smooth things over by letting out an exaggerated sigh.

"Boys, huh?" I said, trying to make conversation.

"Umm... I should go. I'm sorry!"

And just like that, the girl also left me behind to chase after the two boys. But rather than feel angry or betrayed by the girl, I felt sad. I could feel my heart pounding loudly in my chest, a sensation of abandonment I hadn't felt in a long, long time.

~o~

"Hello, everyone!" I said at the top of my lungs on the first day of school. "My name is Star Light, age seven!"

But what I got in response was a few giggles. That did little to impede my seven-year-old self, though. I foolishly thought they were laughing with me.

"Thank you for introducing yourself, Star. Please take a seat."

My teacher that year was Miss Ashley, a kind woman who was just starting out as a teacher herself. Because of that, she found it hard to keep her class under wraps. And it showed in some places, with myself as a victim at one point.

Even at that age, I was a girl blissfully in love with Deneb Lucian, the boy from across the hall. I hadn't been fortunate enough to be in the same class as him since our first year in school, so that's probably why we never grew closer prior to the Pokemon adventure. So half the time, I would be off daydreaming about Deneb, and thus open to all sorts of mean pranks by the boys in my class. Apparently, my happy attitude when I introduced myself to the class didn't sit well with them.

Fortunately, they were mostly harmless pranks; nothing terrible like putting gum in my hair. I'd be asked to join a group of kids to play, only for me to show up and be told to leave because they already had enough people. This quickly became an annoyance rather than a painful experience from the frequency. Another mean-spirited prank was to tell me that Miss Ashley wanted to speak with me when she really didn't.

"It's okay, Star. Even if they are doing these mean things, it's better that you come to me. You never know if one day I'll really be asking for you!" She'd say with a smile and a pat on my head.

And of course, being a girl with glasses, that was also basis for poking fun at me. All those nasty 'four eyes' jokes? I've probably heard them all. One time, however, my glasses became a casualty of a prank.

In another instance of being called over to play with a group of the same boys as always, I ran over. After being turned away with a bout of snickering, I could swear one of them tripped me on purpose. Regardless, I fell over, and my glasses flew off my face. The sound of them cracking was one of the scariest things ever at the time.

I went over to pick them up, but the only thing left was the frame. The lenses were shattered beyond repair. At the time, Mom always warned me that if anything ever happened to my glasses, she'd do things I'd never be able to imagine even in my darkest nightmares. This all turned out to be a big lie just to keep me extra careful around my glasses, since kids are notoriously careless with such fragile things.

Still, once I realized what had happened, I broke down in tears. I remember the rest of the kids running away from me, fearful of being blamed. After Miss Ashley had pieced together what had happened (I was too busy bawling like a baby to be of any help), she called Mom and everything was sorted out.

"It's okay, baby. It was just an accident." She said to me during the car ride to Viridian City to have the glasses replaced.

"But it wasn't my fault, Mommy!" I pleaded with her. "It wasn't my fault!"

"Sweetie, I'm not blaming you. We just need to get them replaced, and you need to be more careful next time, is all."

"So, you won't do things to me in my nightmares?" My younger self had misinterpreted Mom's statement, naturally. Makes me wonder how I ever got to sleep at night.

"Of course not, Star! I just wanted you to be careful!" She assured me.

Well, after that day, things seemed to turn out for the better. My tears had earned me sympathy from others in the class, and I made a few friends the next day. Those same boys that always pulled pranks on me, however, remained aloof and mean. And every time I'd ask to play with them, they'd turn me away.

It got to a point where every rejection was as a dagger through my young heart. So I worked to make myself as appealing as possible. Perhaps that's where I adopted the attitude of a people-pleaser. But that's just my random thinking.

~o~

I threw myself on my bed back at home.

Mom was surprised I had returned so promptly, but I dared not tell her what happened outside. To think, I was turned away by a bunch of kids younger than me. And it got to me. I looked to Vulpix, who didn't quite understand why I was feeling the way I did.

And as if to help me out of my funk, she barked at me. This got my attention, so I raised my head towards her.

"What is it, girl?"

She barked twice more.

"It'd help if you started talking, or something."

She growled, then barked again.

"Why can't I be like that girl from the comics and just understand what you're saying?" I sighed.

This time, Vulpix barked, then walked over to my bag. She scratched at it a few times, making sure my attention was on it. Curious as to what she was getting at, I walked over to the bag and opened it. Inside was the container where I had my lunch from the day I faced Giovanni, and my Pokeball belt. I looked down at Vulpix.

"What about this stuff?"

She tilted her head, then went digging in the bag. She pulled out the Pokeball belt. I took it from her, and looked at the five Pokeballs closely.

She was telling me something, alright. I didn't need those kids' approval. I had proven myself by not only embarking on an adventure, but collecting the eight badges of the Kanto region. Before today, I hadn't let anything get me down and keep me down. I wasn't about to let some kids from my hometown turn me into the quiet little girl who sat alone in the corner.

It was like Sabrina had said. That was my fear, to be the kid left behind. I couldn't let that fear become a reality. I turned to Vulpix.

"Thanks, girl! I can't believe you figured it out for me!"

But Vulpix hadn't done anything of the sort. She had been busy eating the leftovers from inside my bag the entire time I was solving this for myself. I let out a good laugh, then closed my door for a moment.

I got undressed, slipped into one of my bathing suits, and then threw a different dress on over it. Those kids said they were headed to the beach, and I sure wasn't going to let them stop me from enjoying my time back home. Vulpix knew that the bathing suit meant the ocean, so she declined to follow me this time.

I went downstairs, said goodbye to Mom, and made for the beach.

~o~

As expected, the beach was packed with kids. Sitting atop a high chair was a lifeguard, ever-vigilant and ready to rush out to someone's aid at a moment's notice. While I was probably one of the older kids there, I easily fit in with the majority of them. I had always been a bit small for my age, which is probably why I'd always been the target of pranks. Still, I confidently strolled onto the beach in the direction of the group of kids from earlier.

"Hey look, it's the Pokemon girl." Said the boy with shorts once he saw me. I noticed the girl of the group looked away, probably a bit ashamed of her actions earlier.

"Why don't you leave us alone?" Said the other boy. All I did was smile wide.

"I'm not here to bother you three. I'm just here for the beach like everyone else."

I dropped my towel onto the sand, and slipped off my dress in one quick movement. I had gone with a one-piece swimsuit, the kind any kid would wear to the beach. All the same, I noticed both boys blushed a little when I suddenly threw off my dress. After spreading out my towel, I neatly folded my dress and left it on top.

"Well, maybe I'll see you guys in the water!"

And with that, I walked away. My head was held high, my confidence soaring. There was nothing that could go wrong at this point; I had conquered the fear Sabrina informed me of back in Saffron City.

I jumped into the ocean, and let the current push me along for a moment.

~o~

"What were you thinking, Star?" Mom yelled at me, tears in her eyes. Though I was sure there were tears in my eyes as well, all I could do was smile.

"I don't know, Mom," I said, trying to hold back the giggles. "Guess I just forgot my tube."

As you might recall, I couldn't swim. And in my haste to make a point to myself and those kids, I jumped into the ocean without any floatation devices. I ended up nearly drowning within seconds. Fortunately, the lifeguard noticed and fished me out just in time.

And while I was pretty sure those same kids were laughing at my utter idiocy, all I could do was laugh it off. Mom even got angrier at me for it. After all, I had almost died, and there I was trying my best to contain the giggles.

"It's okay," I said to her yet again. "It won't happen again. Never again."


	23. The Second Journey

The Second Journey, Chapter 23

Following the crazy event at the beach, Mom put me on a sort of house arrest. She had been so scared by the whole incident, not to mention my fit of laughter afterward, I was almost afraid she'd not let me go with Professor Oak to New Bark Town. So, trapped at home, I spent the next couple days watching TV lazily. Few things kept my interest, but all I wanted was a chance to see Deneb on TV. The Pokemon League televised battles from Indigo Plateau, so there was a chance I'd get to see him. My luck wasn't that good, though.

Finally, the day came when I was set to go. It started with the honking of a car horn. I looked outside, seeing an unfamiliar blue car waiting by my house.

"Star! Professor Oak is here for you!" Mom called out to me from downstairs.

"Okay, Mom! Going!"

I ran through my bag again, making sure I had everything I needed for the trip. Johto was a whole new world for me, and I was glad that this time, I'd be leaving home prepared for almost anything. My Pokedex safely packed, Pokeballs around my waist, and the Pokegear safely strapped on my wrist, I was ready to go. Vulpix jumped up into my arms, the lazy fox wanting more and more to be carried.

Downstairs, Mom had a few things for me on the table. Luckily, it wasn't too much, the last thing I'd want is to be weighed down before I even started. Wasn't easy carrying around my bike in my bag, as it was.

"I made you some lunch to take with you, and I got you this," she said, handing me a small, sealed package of chocolate chip cookies. These were my favorite, as you may already know, and they only sold them here in Pallet Town.

"Thanks, Mom. Look Vulpix!" She tried to bite the package right out of my hands, never learning her lesson. The last time she had her fill, she was sick for a whole day.

"And here, some money for your trip. I've been saving it since you left last time." And that was certainly something! There was more money there than I had seen in my entire first trip! I tried to jam it all into my wallet, afraid the entire time it'd come apart at the seams.

"Please eat well out there. You came back thinner than you left, I don't want you living off of chips and soda, okay?"

"Mom, it's been forever since I had chips or soda. There aren't vending machines on the road." Though that would certainly be divine.

"I gave you enough money there to eat healthy every day, so I better not expect to see you snacking on anything when I call you!" Suddenly, that Pokegear felt more of a liability than anything else. I heard another honk outside, which made Mom even more nervous.

"Take care, baby, and listen to what Mr Oak tells you."

"Mom, I'm-"

"Not a baby, I know dear." She gave me a kiss on the forehead, dusted me off like I had been sitting on some shelf, and finally let me be on my way. Outside, I saw Professor Oak sitting in the passenger seat, with some older guy, and that's saying something, driving the car. I gave Mom one last hug, and hopped into the back seat.

"Please be careful out there, Professor." She said to the old man in the passenger seat.

"I will, Mrs Light. Don't you worry, your daughter is in good hands!" I poked the Professor's shoulder, signaling him to stop talking. Mom was still very much capable of yanking me out of the car at the first sign of trouble.

"Are you really? If it's alright with you, I can drive part of the way to Viridian City." She offered.

"Not necessary, Mom! We'll be fine, and we got to go!" Mr Pokemon started pulling out, so I lowered my window and waved at Mom as we drove off.

"I'll miss you! Bye!"

"Goodbye, Star! Take care!"

As Mom shrunk in the distance, I crawled back into my seat and closed the window. That would be the last time I saw Pallet Town for a while.

~o~

The trip with the professor and Mr Pokemon could be seen in one of two ways. Either highly informative, or horribly dull. And being the only kid in the car, I found it to be the latter. They spent the entire four hour trip discussing some kind of egg another professor had discovered, a topic of conversation I had no interest in. So instead, I spent the entire trip staring out the window, watching the Kanto region warp into Johto.

From Route 1, we passed through to Viridian City, and turned onto Route 22. I moved to the other side of the backseat here, so that I could try and pinpoint the spot where I first met Mankey. After a stop at the Pokemon Center to have a bite to eat, we continued south on Route 26, a road I honestly never noticed the first time I was there. Maybe it just magically showed up now that I was on my way to Johto?

The road was pretty bumpy, and I couldn't help but stare outside the window as we passed by dozens of trainers heading towards Victory Road. A few of them were even battling on the side of the road, using a mix of familiar critters and Pokemon I had never even read about in my encyclopedia. After seeing a few of these along the road, I just had to ask the two men for a favor.

"Please stop the car!" Well, not so much a favor as a sudden outburst. Mr Pokemon hit the brake abruptly, sending the car to a screeching halt. A few of the trainers walking past us stopped to look at the car, only to see me come out of it. I ran over to the closest one, a teenage girl.

"Hello, are you a Pokemon trainer?" I asked out of the blue.

"Uh, yeah? What do you want?"

"You're headed to Victory Road?"

"Yeah, kid," she said, growing more and more agitated by the second. She finally took notice of Vulpix at my side. "You're saying you want a battle?"

"If you wouldn't mind," I said, picking up Vulpix. "I just want to see what other kinds of Pokemon trainers headed to Victory Road are using."

"If that Vulpix is your Pokemon, kid, you won't make it. But I won't turn down a match."

The trainer took her place on the far side of the road, and I stood behind the car. Professor Oak and Mr Pokemon got out and stood by me, interested in the match. This was actually the first time I was battling in front of spectators, so I was getting a bit nervous. Before the girl trainer released her first Pokemon, I had one more question for her.

"What's your name?" She looked at me like I was crazy for some reason, then sighed.

"Joyce."

"I'm Star!" Joyce didn't seem to care much for my name, and released her Pokemon. It was a large, blue turtle, a Blastoise. Already I was looking at a tough fight.

"You want to quit now, kid? Wouldn't want your little Vulpix to get hurt." I looked down at Vulpix, who was a bit hesitant to go out there. I didn't blame her, as she was at a severe disadvantage. What's worse, I left my belt with the rest of my Pokemon in the car. Not that any of my other critters evened out the field very well, except Primeape.

"I don't have all day kid, either start the fight, or I'm leaving." I glanced around, watching a few of the other trainers snickering at me. All of them were clearly older than me, too, only making it worse. I was just some newbie trainer to them, and I didn't think showing off my trainer card would make much of a difference. As a few of them started to move on, I turned around to see Oak. He looked away, not sure how to respond to this.

"That's it, I'm out of here. Don't bother me again, kid."

"Wait!" I cried out, stopping Joyce from calling back her Blastoise. I told Vulpix to get out there, which she did, albeit slowly.

"Okay, your funeral. Blastoise, Water Gun!"

"Vulpix, Quick Attack!"

Vulpix took a few steps forward, disappearing just as Blastoise's massive cannons started blasting water at her position. Vulpix showed up behind Blastoise, ramming into the large turtle. Her attack hardly made him budge.

"Oh, please. Blastoise, Bubblebeam!"

"Vulpix, Quick Attack!"

Again, before Blastoise could pummel Vulpix with a fatal attack, she disappeared, and reappeared behind the large turtle. And again, her attack didn't even register on Blastoise.

"I don't got time for this. Blastoise, Stomp!"

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

The large turtle lifted one of its feet, trying to crush Vulpix under it. She deftly backed off, opening her mouth and releasing a wave of flames at him. Blastoise raised its arms to ward most of the damage. Aside from the fact the attack was ineffective, what little damage it could have done was just blocked.

"Blastoise, Crunch!" Joyce's patience was all but gone.

"Vulpix, Ember!"

The battle was actually going in my favor, just at a snail's pace. No matter what attack Joyce ordered, Blastoise was too slow to keep up with Vulpix, and Vulpix's attacks just weren't doing enough damage. I surely wasn't going to end the fight, and Joyce wouldn't admit defeat just because time marched onward. Finally, it looked like Professor Oak grew tired of watching the battle, and offered some advice.

"Star, perhaps you should consult the Pokedex, and see what other abilities Vulpix has at her disposal. I'd certainly like to make it to New Bark Town before nightfall."

"Blastoise, Water Gun!"

"Vulpix, you know the drill!"

I noticed Vulpix letting out a sigh, only to once again evade Blastoise's attack and try to damage it with her weak Quick Attack. In the meantime, I pulled out my Pokedex, and aimed it at Vulpix. The little red device came to life, and I scrolled down the page to see a list of Vulpix's abilities. There was one in particular I never knew she could use.

"Blastoise, Stomp!" Joyce was getting more and more agitated, and Blastoise more and more tired.

"Vulpix, dodge and use Confuse Ray!"

By this point, Vulpix only needed to walk away from the large turtle. She locked eyes with it, and barked. Suddenly, Blastoise was having trouble keeping its balance, falling back on its shell and just laying there. I took advantage of the opening.

"Vulpix, Quick Attack his belly!"

Vulpix disappeared, and came up on top of the large turtle, crashing down on it hard. This time, he felt the pain, and tried to roll over, but was still too dizzy. Finally, Joyce admitted defeat, and recalled Blastoise. Vulpix let out a victory howl before running back to my side. Joyce walked up to me, separating a few bills to hand me.

"Beginner's luck, kid," she said, handing me the money. I took it from her, but decided it was time to show her just how experienced a trainer I was. I ran back to the car, taking my trainer card out to show her. But by the time I was back, she was already walking off towards the Pokemon Center.

"Well, that was certainly a fun distraction. Professor, if you have no objections?" Mr Pokemon returned to the car.

"Not at all. Come on, Star, we'd best be moving on."

"Okay," I said, a bit sad that my first Victory in Johto wasn't more celebratory. Once I was back in the car, I put away the money I got from Joyce, as well as the trainer card. It was still another couple hours to New Bark Town, and I figured I wouldn't bother to ask for another battle on the way.

I'd later be clarified on one detail about all this by Professor Oak. Technically speaking, Routes 26 through 28 were still Kanto territory, so this battle wasn't my first real Johto match. That alone seemed to lift my spirits.

~o~

I gave Mom a call on my Pokegear when we finally arrived in New Bark Town. It was past four, and the sun was starting to lower from the sky. Like Pallet Town, it was a small little place, maybe even smaller. There were a few houses here and there, and a larger building off to a corner. That was our destination, the home and lab of the resident Pokemon Professor, Elm. Mr Pokemon and the professor let themselves inside, so I quietly followed behind.

Elm's lab looked pretty much like Oak's, right down to the single aide running around doing small jobs for the professor in charge. On the other end of the lab, I saw Professor Elm for the first time, studying a strange white egg with little triangle markings.

"Elm, it's been a long time!" Oak called out to him.

"Ah! Professor Oak! I didn't hear you come in!" Elm dropped his clipboard and walked around the desk to greet Oak personally. I snuck around the older men to inspect the egg myself.

"How goes the research? Is that the egg you told me about?" Oak pointed to the egg, and Elm followed his finger.

"Yes, I've been-who are you!? Thief!" I backed away from the egg, startled by Elm's accusation. Vulpix also got scared, and backed up into a different table nearby, knocking over a bunch of trinkets and scattering a few papers.

"Relax, Professor," said Mr Pokemon, coming to my defense, "That's just a young'un we brought over from Kanto. Star, please come over and introduce yourself."

I walked over to Vulpix first, carrying her with me to meet Elm. I shook his hand, but didn't let go of Vulpix, not wanting her to make anymore of a mess.

"I'm Star, sir. And I'm sorry about Vulpix making that mess on your table," I said.

"Don't worry about it, and I'm sorry about snapping at you like that. Ever since the we've brought this egg in, and the break in, I've been a bit on edge. People just don't have any respect anymore."

"Wait, break in? What are you talking about Elm?" Oak cut in, cutting Elm's train of thought along with it.

"Oh? Oh! You see, a few days ago, when the egg came in, we had some juvenile sneak into the lab at night. By the time I came downstairs, I noticed one of the Pokemon I was researching had been stolen. I reported it to the police, but without a description, I'm afraid there's little they could do."

"Tragedy," chipped in Mr Pokemon as he tilted his hat.

"Tragedy that such a crime be committed right under our noses. You know, back in my day, sirs, and miss," tipping his hat off to me, "Pokemon trainers were an honorable bunch."

"Those days are long gone, Mr Pokemon," said Oak, sighing at the loss of the Pokemon. "Our hope now lies with young hopefuls, like Star here."

"Oh, I'm nothing too special," I said, feeling a blush coming on.

"Don't be so modest, dear! Your battling earlier may have been a bit rough around the edges, but you have a good head on your shoulders. The right combination of tasteful critters, and there's naught a challenge you can't overcome!"

"Really? You really think so, Mr Pokemon?" I said with a glimmer in my eye.

"Aye, lass, I do. Matter of fact, you've proven yourself already in Kanto, why not try to mimic your success here in Johto?"

"You mean, the Pokemon League?" I wasn't looking to go through with the gym challenge again, if that's what Mr Pokemon was talking about.

"Indeed. Pokemon training is all about staying the course! Why, if you make an honest effort to improve your skills, I'm sure you'd make a fine champ one day, much like that Lance fellow."

"You know Lance?"

"Actually, we all do," said Professor Elm, cutting into the conversation. "For a time, he was a student under Professor Oak, much like I was. He didn't finish the course, however, and instead went off to train his Pokemon, and enter the League. In those days, the League was still pretty new, so he managed to work his way to the top pretty quickly, outshining all the veteran trainers that founded it."

"You're going on and on, Elm," Oak said, causing the younger professor to cut himself short.

"Regardless, what say you, Star? We can have our chatty professor here sign you up for the Johto League." Mr Pokemon gave me a pat on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry, but I don't want to," I said, much to the shock of everyone there. Made me giggle a bit how even the nameless aide in the other room poked his head through the door to gasp as well. It didn't help my case.

"Star, you have the entire Kanto region's badge set. You're more than capable of holding up in the Johto League!" Oak protested.

"I'm sorry, Professor Oak, but I decided not to go to Victory Road after all. There's really no point in me going through with the gyms if I don't want to enter Indigo Plateau."

"Lass, you're missing the point here," said Mr Pokemon, putting his hand on my shoulder. "The gym challenges aren't about getting into the tournament, it's about studying. You can't know about Pokemon by just sitting in a lab all day, or just wandering the world. Conflict is essential to growth."

"I don't quite agree with Mr Pokemon's reasons," said Professor Elm, "But I do agree you should take the challenge. You'll have to register with the League anyway if you're going to be traveling in the Johto region, and with every trainer card comes the privilege of facing gym leaders. At the very least, it'll provide a roadmap of destinations for you to visit along the way."

A roadmap, I thought. That's what I originally considered the gym challenges of Kanto, aside from the fact they were an absolute necessity at the time. But Elm did have a point: they do make choosing my next location quite easy. Plus, I really did love the badges themselves, and there was certainly nothing wrong with collecting them. I took a step back from the three men, and nodded.

"Alright, I'll do it!"

"Well, that was certainly easy," said Mr Pokemon, giving me a pat on the back.

"Are you sure, Star? You said before you weren't interested in going to Indigo Plateau." Oak's skepticism was warranted, given my sudden change of mind.

"I know, Professor. But I am going into Johto anyway, so why not try to collect the badges? They'll make nice souvenirs to bring back home." My smile seemed to convince him, so Oak dropped the subject.

"Well, then I'll get started on the paperwork! If you still have your Kanto card, it'll make the process much easier."

I handed my card to Professor Elm, and he took a seat at his computer to start signing me up. On some level, I knew I was just getting myself into a whole new world of hardship by taking this challenge, but the better part of me told me to relax. Some of the fights back in Kanto had been tough, some had been downright horrifying, but I always seemed to emerge with my badge. It'd also make for some great stories to share with Deneb.

After a few minutes, Elm came back with a whole new trainer card. Fortunately, my picture was still the same, Vulpix covering a good deal of it. I flipped it around, seeing eight brand new squares, each of them asking for a new badge to take its place. I put them both away, and then spent the rest of the afternoon there with the professors, listening in on their conversations involving Pokemon evolution.

~o~

"Well, I'm afraid the hour is late, and I should be heading back home." Mr Pokemon rose from the table, tipping his hat to everyone else. I had been dozing off bit by bit for a while by then. The sun had gone down a while back, and I was usually in bed at the first sign of night, if I wasn't out and about sneaking into places, that is.

"Are you sure you want to go driving all the way back to Route 30 at this hour?" Elm asked the older gentleman.

"Don't you worry about me, Elm. Offer that spare bed to the young lass; she'll be needing her rest far more than I. Oak, I hope you have a safe journey back home, yourself."

"I'm sure I will, Mr Pokemon. Take care on the road!"

The old gentleman left the lab, leaving only us inside. I was fighting my hardest to stay awake, while Vulpix slept soundly on the table. Elm was the next person to rise.

"Your usual lodging here is still available, Professor. Star, if you'd come with me, my wife and I have a spare bedroom we can offer you tonight."

"Are you sure?" I asked, more out of politeness than anything. I was about ready to kill for a comfortable bed to sleep in.

"Of course he's sure, Star. Go on with Elm. I'll see you tomorrow morning, before you start off."

I said good night to Professor Oak, and followed Elm upstairs to his actual house. After a short meeting with his wife, they showed me right to the room I was borrowing. It instantly showed why Mr Pokemon would rather drive all the way to his own home rather than stay in the company of Elm.

"That's a tiny bed," I said, staring at the kid's size object at the other end of the room.

"It's a little small, I admit," said Elm, walking over to the bed. "It's Joey's, my son's. He'll be staying in our room tonight."

"Sorry I was so rude," I said, feeling quite ungrateful. Elm shook his hand, letting me know it was okay, and finally letting me slip in. I carried Vulpix onto the bed with me, snuggling under the blankets. I made sure to cover Vulpix enough so she wouldn't get cold at night.

"Good night, Star, I'll see you tomorrow morning!"

Elm turned off the lights and closed the door behind him. Despite what I had seen earlier, it really wasn't that bad of a bed to sleep in. Better than the couches at the Pokemon Center.


	24. Slow Beginnings

Slow Beginnings, Chapter 24

"Good morning, Star! Did you sleep well?" Mrs Elm greeted me with a cheerful demeanor. She was making something that smelled quite delicious in the kitchen.

"I did, thanks. Where's the Professor?"

"Downstairs in the lab. He was going to see Oak off, but that was quite a while ago." Right as she finished, Professor Elm walked through the door.

"Ah, you're up. I'm sorry you didn't get to say goodbye to Professor Oak, but he had to hurry back to Pallet Town early this morning."

"Already? How did he go back?" Since we had driven over here courtesy of Mr Pokemon, I seriously doubted Professor Oak would walk back to Pallet.

"By car, of course. Mr Pokemon was kind enough to give him a ride back this morning. Care to join us for breakfast?"

"What are you saying, dear? Of course she'll be joining us!" Mrs Elm brought a few plates to the table, placing one in front of where I was standing. "I've already prepared her some!"

Breakfast with Professor Elm's family was a experience. He had a son, a little boy named Joey, who idolized his dad. Mrs Elm was also very supportive of him, despite the fact he was probably downstairs in the lab ninety percent of the time. Not wanting to overstay my welcome, I finished breakfast, thanked Mrs Elm, and was promptly on my way out the door.

Outside, before I could get far, Professor Elm stopped me, and asked me to come inside the lab for one more thing before I set out. I did so, and gave him my Pokedex when he asked for it. He hooked it up to his computer for a moment.

"It's an update for the Pokedex, allowing it to recognize Pokemon indigenous to the Johto region. Professor Oak asked me to remind you to use the Pokedex more often, until it becomes second nature."

"I know. I didn't use it before because I had memorized an encyclopedia I got as a present." Not that it was much of an excuse for Oak, I learned that day.

Elm finished the update, and handed me back the Pokedex.

"Well, you're all set, Star! It's been a pleasure meeting you, and I hope your journey here in Johto is safe and productive." Elm offered me his hand, and right as I was about to take it, my Pokegear started to ring. I glanced at the screen, seeing the word 'MOM' flashing on it.

"I'm sorry, Professor, but I have to answer this."

~o~

After my daily phone call with Mom, despite my asking that she not call me everyday, I started out from New Bark Town. It reminded me a lot of Route 1 from Pallet Town; just a quiet, forested road, with several familiar Pokemon fluttering about in the bushes. Rattatas were everywhere here, which had Vulpix on edge. After walking for a while, I ran across a small group of a new kind of Pokemon. Remembering Oak's request, I pulled out the Pokedex, and aimed it at the strange critter.

"Sentret, the Scout Pokemon. A very cautious Pokemon, it raises itself up using its tail to get a better view of its surroundings."

And just like the Pokedex said, once the Sentret party noticed me, they fell off their tales and went scurrying about into the bushes. Though it was a cute little Pokemon, I had lost my chance of catching one, so I just kept moving forward. By this point, I had to carry Vulpix again, as she wouldn't stop growling at every little critter we ran across. Unlike Route 1, this road was far more rural, forcing us through plenty of tall grass and trees. I was just amazed more Pokemon didn't come outright to attack us.

A short while later, the road forked, with Route 29 ahead, and Route 46 heading north. I put Vulpix down and checked the map on my Pokegear, seeing that while Blackthorn City, one of the stops for me was in that direction, it was quite a hike uphill. Since this was more of a pleasure trip, I continued on Route 29.

As I turned a bend past some trees, I saw yet another grouping of a new kind of Pokemon. I stayed hidden behind the tree, and aimed my Pokedex at them.

"Hoppip, the Cottonweed Pokemon. It can be carried away on even the gentlest breeze. It may even float all the way to the next town."

I watched the group of Hoppip from afar, seeing them float about in the air, like they were balloons bouncing around. I looked down at Vulpix, who wasn't growling or looking angrily at the group of pink puffballs. That was a lucky sign of a Pokemon I should try catching. I checked the Pokedex again, seeing that Hoppip's type was grass and flying, making it an easy snatch for Vulpix.

"Vulpix, Ember on the group!"

The small fox leapt towards the group of Pokemon, releasing a small hail of flames. A few of the Hoppip instantly took to the air, avoiding the attack, while two stayed behind and were burned up pretty badly. I followed Vulpix out, throwing my last Pokeball at one of the Hoppip. The critter was trapped inside the ball, while the other flew off into the sky with its friends. The Pokeball shook a couple times before it went silent.

Knowing the routine, I picked Eevee's Pokeball from my belt, and then picked up Hoppip's. Eevee's Pokeball started to rubble a bit, and was then whisked away to Bill's storage center. Vulpix barked a few times in celebration of a new friend acquired, and I attached the Pokeball to my belt. Just ahead was the next town, so I picked Vulpix up, and started skipping along the road towards the city limits.

Cherrygrove City, a rather quaint little town nestled between Routes 29 and 30, and right next to a small beach. The entire city smelled like a flower garden, even though it was already nearing the end of summer. I saw a few kids playing on the beach, and met a few people as I made my way to the Pokemon Center. There was a Nurse Joy here, too, but that no longer felt strange to me. It's like every center came equipped with a Joy.

Since Cherrygrove had no gym, and was shockingly small to boot, I figured there was no point in staying any longer than I should. The sun was still high in the sky, so decided to push towards the next stop while I could. If the road ended up being longer, I'd just have to camp out. Been a while since I did that, anyway. When I took back my Pokemon from Nurse Joy, she noticed the Pokegear on my wrist.

"Pardon me, but do you happen to use the Pokemon Storage System?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Well, I just wanted to let you know, in case you didn't already hear, the creator has made some modifications to the system. If you check the computer terminal over there, you can see it for yourself."

I could spare the time, so I walked over to the computer, taking a seat in front of it. I didn't really care for the things, and seeing as how Bill, the very same guy who made the storage system, was turned into a Rattata because of it, you could say I had developed a bit of a fear of the things. Irrational, perhaps, but the thought of being trapped in the body of a Pokemon forever was a scary one. Unless I was a Vulpix, though; that'd just be too cool to describe!

I pressed a random key, and the screen instantly lit up. It asked if I wanted to access the Pokemon Storage System, so I pressed the 'Y' key like it asked me to. It asked me for my trainer card, so I pulled out the Johto card and had it scanned by the device on the left side of the computer. It made a loud beeping noise, then told me to wait for a moment. Eerie how these things asked you politely to wait. Eventually, the screen showed me a list of Pokemon I had in the system. Beedrill, Clefairy, and now Eevee.

Before I could do anything else, a small square popped up over the list, saying I had a phone call from Bill. I pressed the phone key to a corner of the keyboard, and the screen shifted to show me Bill himself.

"Well, if it isn't Star! How are you?"

"Great! It's been a while, Bill."

"I'll say. I saw that you're using a Johto trainer card now. Why'd you leave Kanto?"

"I finished exploring, so I came here to continue my adventure. How did you know?"

"Whenever someone accesses the system, they have to scan their trainer card. I'm told just who is accessing the system, where they're from, and what they're doing. That's actually the update I just uploaded into the system." So he was constantly getting notified by his computers that people were accessing the system. Thousands, tens of thousands of trainers out in the world. How did he sleep at night?

"Bill, where are my Pokemon? Just where is the box where they're stored located?"

"Sorry, Star, that's classified. If anyone found out where they're kept, there'd be no stopping thieves or even Team Rocket from stealing everyone's Pokemon. You understand."

"What do you mean Team Rocket? I thought they disappeared after Silph?" Perhaps it was wishful thinking on my part.

"Oh, you haven't heard? Rumors floating about that Team Rocket is on the move again, with plenty of activities in both Kanto and Johto, now. Guess they didn't learn their lesson after Silph." That, and Giovanni was still pleasantly sitting in his gym.

"Well, I've got get going Bill. It was nice seeing you again."

"Same here, Star. If you happen to be anywhere near Goldenrod, look me up! I'll be staying there starting next week with my folks."

"Okay, I will."

After hanging up with Bill, I was taken back to the storage screen. Since I had no intention of swapping out my Pokemon, I hit the 'Escape' key, which turned off the computer completely.

Back outside, I took in a deep breath, enjoying the mix of flowers and sea breeze. Though I was tempted to stay the night in Cherrygrove, just so I could take a nice dip in the ocean, I kept moving. At least, I did for all of two minutes, but I cracked. After all, I wasn't trying to catch up to anyone anymore, I could take as long as I wanted in every city. I ran back inside the Pokemon Center, intent on setting up a 'reservation' with Nurse Joy to stay the night, and find a place to change into my swimsuit. I made sure to bring it with me this time!

~o~

It looked like school was out for the time, seeing as how the small beach was packed with kids of all ages. I noticed a few here and there playing with their Pokemon in the sand, mostly pet Rattatas or Krabby. Thus, when I showed up on the beach, sporting a different fashion of swimsuit compared to the other girls on the beach, and with Vulpix at my side, I drew much attention. Quite a contrast from what happened a few days back at Pallet Town, but all the same I didn't want the attention on me. I would be eleven in a few months, and I still looked like I belonged in second grade. So I was a bit self-conscious about myself when too many people were looking.

I had borrowed a towel from the Pokemon Center, so again I stood out by having the only bleach white item on the beach. The only other thing I had with me was Lapras's Pokeball, in case I wanted to go our further into the water. After a little while, I noticed people went back to their own activities, so I set up my towel near the water, and told Vulpix to guard it while I went in for a splash. Before I could, though, a few other kids walked up to me.

"Nice Vulpix. Where you from?" The boy asking looked older than me, probably twelve or thirteen.

"Pallet Town," I said, doing my best to sound cheerful. "I'm on my way to Violet City."

"You a Pokemon trainer?" I took a moment to answer, scanning the eyes of every boy there.

"N-No," I said, trying to hide the Pokeball in my hands behind my back. "I'm just on a little trip."

"Really? That's a shame," he said turning slightly to the left. He made a swift motion, reaching behind me with his right hand and snatching the Pokeball from my hand. "Then what's this? A Pokeball?"

"Give it back!" I said, jumping for the item. The boy sidestepped me, sticking his foot out so I could trip and land in the sand. His friends started laughing at me.

"It has a Pokemon inside," he said, shaking the ball. "Why don't we see just what kind of Pokemon she has!"

I turned around, catching the sight as Vulpix leapt onto the boy, biting on his arm. He dropped the Pokeball and backed off, but that had already set it off. The Pokeball exploded, releasing Lapras right there in front of everyone on the beach. As you'd guess, everyone on the beach backed away gasping.

"Whoa, what is that!?"

"That," I said, walking up to my large critter, "is Lapras. Say hi, Lapras."

The eight foot tall blue beast let out a soft growl. The group of bullies backed away slightly, but most of the other people on the beach started getting closer. Lapras was a pretty rare Pokemon in Kanto, so in Johto it was next to unheard of. I walked towards the boy, who was rubbing his arm where Vulpix had bitten him.

"I am a Pokemon Trainer," I told him, holding up the empty Pokeball. "And I came here to relax, not be bothered by bullies with no Pokemon. Please leave us alone."

He couldn't come up with any kind of retort, so he just turned around and left, his small group of friends following after him. I sighed, relieved it didn't end up becoming a Pokemon battle right there in front of everyone. What's more, I was surprised at the level of courage I displayed. I guess what had happened in Pallet Town hadn't been a one-time fluke.

When I turned around, I saw Lapras being overrun by most of the younger kids on the beach. The large Pokemon lowered its neck, allowing itself to be conquered by the hyper children. Guess that was easier than resist. I walked up to Lapras, his eyes pleading me to save him from this cute onslaught. But I had a better idea.

"Who wants to take a ride on Lapras's back?" I asked the crowd. Every single kid there started raising their arms up high, screaming for me to pick them. I smiled at them, and helped the few that couldn't climb up on Lapras. I asked Lapras to give them a short ride around the area, allowing me to finally enjoy the water myself.

As I splashed around like a happy kid in the shallow water, I could hear the cheers coming from the other kids as Lapras came around for a second pass. It was at this point that I noticed the small island just off shore. Intrigued, I waved for Lapras to come back to the shore. I climbed up with the group of kids, though I was practically riding on Lapras's neck thanks to all of them.

"Lapras, head for that island over there. That alright with everyone here?" A few of the kids said no, most said yes, and one got off the Pokemon right there, running back to his mom on the beach. Confused, I asked why some didn't want to go.

"That island belongs to the older kids," said one of the little girls. "They don't want us on there."

"Don't you worry about them, if they try to bother us, Lapras will scare them away again."

That seemed to calm most of the kids, so Lapras swam out again, heading straight for island. To my surprise, I felt Vulpix lick my face, and I wondered just when she managed to sneak onboard Lapras. The blue critter arrived at the island, stretching out its neck so I could get off. Only Vulpix followed me onto the island, which was really just a large, flat rock in the middle of the ocean. There were a few trinkets and toys lying around, evidence of the kids that supposedly 'owned' the island.

"Can we go? I don't like it here." One of the little girls said.

"Just a minute," I called out to the kids. Something had caught my eye on the far side of the island. I walked over to it, seeing something shiny and yellow stuck in the rock. I tried to pull it out, but it was stuck in there pretty good.

"Vulpix, help me dig this thing out."

She started clawing at the rock around the yellow stone, while I continued to pull at it. After a moment of digging, she managed to loosen it enough for me to finally free it from the ground. It was a yellow piece of rock, but it was too shiny to be a normal rock. I thought it could be gold, but what were the odds of that? Still, at the very least it was a souvenir for Mom, so I ran back to Lapras with the item. Once I was back on his back, Lapras made for the shore.

"What did you find?" Asked one of the kids. I showed them the yellow rock.

"I think it's treasure, maybe gold."

"I know what it is! It is gold! A gold nugget!" Answered another one. The rest of them all let out a collective 'ooooh'.

"Really? You think so?" I inspected the nugget closer, watching as it shined in the sunlight.

"Yeah! You're going to be rich!"

"I wish I was rich!"

Every kid on Lapras threw in their opinion, and I couldn't help but smile at them. I remembered when I was like them, not too long ago. Back on the beach, everyone jumped off Lapras, and thanked me for giving them the ride. I was even thanked by a few of the parents for being such a nice person.

As the day marched on, more and more of the kids left the beach. I didn't stay much longer myself, splashing around in the shallow water for a while after getting back on shore. Even Vulpix splashed around with me, which was surprising considering she didn't like getting her fur wet. With Lapras back in his Pokeball, I wrapped myself up in the towel, and made my way back to the Pokemon Center.

The day's activities were a bit distracting, but like I told myself before I jumped into the ocean: this was a fun trip, and having fun was the important thing!


	25. Back to School

Back to School, Chapter 25

I set out early the next day, having rested surprisingly well after the events on the beach. Route 30 connected to Route 31, and then to Violet City, so I went with my bike for the trip this time. Curious to see just how Hoppip would do in battle, I released him from his Pokeball, and let him ride in the basket of my bike with Vulpix. The first time I took off, Hoppip went flying out of the basket into the air, and I had to chase him halfway across Cherrygrove in the opposite direction. The Pokedex wasn't kidding when it said they were extremely lightweight Pokemon.

On my second attempt to cycle out of Cherrygrove, I made sure to have Vulpix hold Hoppip down. Route 30 was much like Route 29 before it, that being overgrown grass and hard-to-follow roads. Along the way, I saw a few young trainers practicing their battling ability. Rattata versus Pidgey; Caterpie versus Spearow in a poor match up. I guessed most of these trainers were newbies from Cherrygrove, so I didn't engage any of them for fights myself. I was a bit out of their league, as you could imagine. That thought alone made me feel all fuzzy inside.

The next sight to behold on the road was a small cottage in the middle of the road. There was a sign next to it, with faded letters all over it. I pulled up close to the sign, wiping away some of the dirt stuck to it.

'Mr Pokemon's House' it read, with the arrow pointing to the right fork of the road. I wasn't sure if he'd be back home already, so I didn't head down that road. First of all, though, I let myself into the house next to sign. The door itself had a sign that welcomed visitors, so I saw no need to knock first.

"Visitors! A young upstart Pokemon trainer, I take it?" The man living in the house seemed eager to greet a total stranger. Guess strange people populate the entire world.

"Not exactly," I corrected him. "But I am new to the region."

"Kanto, I take it?" I nodded. "Then I'm sure you're not familiar with these?"

The man showed me a round, green fruit. At least, it looked like a piece of fruit, but was just too round and perfect. I walked closer, and took it in my hands. The skin was hard as a rock, but it still smelled like a piece of edible fruit. Vulpix tried to reach for it, while Hoppip just floated on top of my head to get a closer look at it.

"What is it?"

"An apricorn. It's a special type of fruit native to the Johto region alone."

"Can you eat it?" I asked, taking another whiff of the round object. It smelled even tastier this time.

"Well, the juices inside can be anything from sweet to spicy, but the skin is so hard, even the strongest Pokemon fangs probably wouldn't pierce it. That's why they have two particular uses to us." I took a seat across from the man at his table. I had a feeling something of a long-winded explanation awaited me.

"What are they?"

"One, you extract the juice, and drink it or create Pokeblocks out of it. They're a special kind of Pokemon food. The other option, is to fashion the hard skin into a special type of Pokeball!"

"Really? You can make Pokeballs out of this?" I looked at the apricorn in my hands, wondering just how that was achieved.

"Actually, before the standard aluminum Pokeball was invented, trainers learned to make Pokeballs out of apricorns! They were a great source of income for the Johto cities. Nowadays, trainers just prefer to buy the standard Pokeball, despite the benefits of using apricorns."

"Well, I'd like to learn how to make a Pokeball! Can you teach me, sir?" If I could make my own, I'd never have to worry about running out when on the road. I'd seen apricorn trees along the way to Cherrygrove City and on this route, too. Which meant that they grew all over the Johto region; an endless supply!

"Afraid not. I don't know how to, myself. However, I do know someone who does! He lives in Azalea Town, down south. Goes by the name of Kurt."

"Kurt in Azalea Town, right? Then I guess I know where I'll be headed next!"

I thanked the kind man for the apricorn and information, and he was even nice enough to let me have a rarer, white apricorn as well. I packed away both fruits and left the man's house, now also stocking a couple sweet berries as a final parting gift. For a total stranger, he sure was quite generous!

Once I was outside, however, my small bit of joy was cut short with a few choice words.

"Hey! You! I challenge you to a Pokemon battle!" I turned to the voice, spotting a kid around my age. Once challenged, I had no choice but to answer, though it wouldn't end well for the kid.

"Listen, I don't want to battle," I said, reaching for my Kanto trainer card. "I may be a little too much for you."

"Nice try, but I know the rules! You have to battle me when I challenge you! So come on!"

The kid released his first Pokemon, a Rattata. I had my card in my hands, but put it right back in the bag. A nice way of handicapping myself would be to use Hoppip, and it was a great way to see him in action. I picked up the feathery-light Pokemon off my head and placed it on the ground.

"Rattata, Tail Whip!"

"Hoppip, Tackle!"

I took out my Pokedex to double check Hoppip's abilities. There wasn't much he could do yet, but I'd have to make due. Rattata turned around and started wagging its tail at Hoppip, confusing him slightly. Still, Hoppip lurched forward, pushing the Rattata back a little, while sending himself floating high up into the air. His weight was really going to be a problem in battle, I realized.

"Rattata, Quick Attack!"

I didn't order anything this time, seeing as how Hoppip was just floating around in the air. Rattata jumped into the air to attack him, but Hoppip was just too high up for the small rat. I found it quite funny, and giggled a bit at the sight. The kid took it the wrong way, and called back his Rattata.

"You're giving up?"

"Not a chance! I won't lose to a girl! Go, Zubat!"

Now the playing field was even, more or less. I still didn't know how to fight back, though. Hoppip just couldn't seem to hit hard enough to ever win any battle.

"Zubat, Tackle!"

The small bat flew towards Hoppip at top speed, pushing him out of the air and down onto the ground. He bounced off the ground and right into my arms, a bit tired, but for the most part fine. His Pokemon weren't hitting very hard, themselves.

"Hoppip, Synthesis."

The two leaves on the small pink critter shot upward, glowing brightly as it healed what little damage it had received. Thus far, this entire battle had been pretty much a waste of time. I raised my hand.

"Can we call it a draw? I don't want to hurt your Pokemon."

"If you want to quit, that's fine by me. You'll still be the loser."

It wasn't that I wanted to admit defeat, or even fork over a small sum of cash to the kid. After all, I had plenty to spare. It was his attitude that was starting to get on my bad side. I put Hoppip back in the basket, and ordered Vulpix out onto the field.

"Vulpix, Ember."

She jumped into the air, swinging her tail towards Zubat. The hail of flames covered the small bat completely, sending it crashing to the ground, burned pretty badly. The kid couldn't believe his eyes.

"See? I'll let you go without paying up, just hurry your Pokemon to the center, before he gets any worse."

"No way! I still have one more!" He called back Zubat, and sent Rattata out again. I sighed, not believing how thick this kid was.

"Come on, kid, you know it's over." I pleaded with him.

"Rattata, Quick Attack!"

"Vulpix, same." I sighed.

Both Pokemon vanished for a moment, until Rattata was the first to reappear, flying backwards towards the kid's feet. Vulpix reappeared a moment later. The kid bent over, cradling his Pokemon in his arms. I told Vulpix to stay by the bike, and walked over to him. I reached into my bag and pulled out a potion.

"Here," I said, handing him the medicine. "Use it so he can make it back to the center with enough energy to guard you from the wild critters."

"Why are you being so nice? I lost, so here." The kid handed me his wallet, not caring how much I took. Out of curiosity, I looked inside, seeing barely enough to buy a potion for himself. I closed the wallet and handed it back to him.

"Pokemon battles aren't just about winning," I said, spraying the potion on his Rattata. "You have to take care of your Pokemon. If the battle is looking bad, don't feel bad about giving up before they're hurt anymore."

"Easy to say when you're the winner," he spat out. My patience was wearing thin, but I took a deep breath.

"It's never easy to give up," I said, remembering some of my own losses. "But sometimes its better than losing completely. If winning is more important to you than your Pokemon, maybe you shouldn't be a Pokemon trainer."

"Just leave me alone, cheater."

The kid got up and ran off back towards Cherrygrove City. It was rather annoying how ungrateful he was, but at the same time I didn't hold it against him. His battle against me was probably his first loss. And if he had managed to win even once before, this probably shot his confidence dead on. I sighed, and walked back to my bike. Vulpix was already in the basket, holding onto Hoppip. I scratched her behind the ears, and petted Hoppip. If only every trainer could treat their Pokemon like I did.

~o~

The first thing one noticed about Violet City was the tall tower in the center. A tall building wasn't anything special on its own, but the real draw was the large statue on top of it. It looked like it was made of some kind of metal, probably bronze, and it was shaped like the head of a Bellsprout. I knew some Pokemon from Kanto weren't only seen there, but I never expected people here to pay such tribute to Bellsprout, of all Pokemon. Personally, I never really much cared for them. Though the gym was on my checklist while in Violet City, I decided to put it on hold. After my customary visit to the Pokemon Center, my next stop was that tower in the middle of the lake.

The style of the building itself reminded me of Fuchsia City, that strange foreign design, unlike most other cities. Inside the tower, there was a large pillar in the center of the floor, shaking and swaying back and forth. I didn't move from where I was standing at first, afraid that the entire building would collapse at any moment.

"No need to fear, child. The Sprout Tower is stable." An older man dressed in robes approached me. There was a design on the bottom part of the robe, a Bellsprout, of course.

"Why is that pillar shaking?"

"It is a support pillar. It keeps the entire tower standing, and protects it from earthquakes. It shakes because of the intense Pokemon battles that are taking place on the higher floors."

"Pokemon battles? You allow fighting in here?" The man nodded.

"Here at the Sprout Tower, we believe in fostering a unique spiritual connection between man and Pokemon. The greatest way to achieve this, is through battle. Placing your life in the hands of your Pokemon teammates, and theirs are in your ability to lead them. Have you come to have your bond tested by Elder Li?"

"Not exactly, but since I'm here, might as well, right?" I gave the monk a smile.

"Do not take the Elder lightly. His connection to his Pokemon is strong, and they have overcome many challenges in the past. Ascend those stairs, and you'll meet him soon enough."

I climbed up the stairs to the next floor, finding a number of other monks silently meditating. Around them were Bellsprout, as far as the eye could see. They were really keen on the Pokemon here, though I did see a Rattata scurry around here and there. Can't seem to keep those pests out, I see. Beyond the third floor, I arrived at the fourth, where I could hear the sounds of a fierce fight. I ran across the floor to the other side of the pillar, catching the last part of the battle.

"Totodile, Bite!"

A trainer with deep, dark red hair ordered his Pokemon to attack the Bellsprout in front of them. The small critter looked pretty mean, despite sounding a bit like a funny little duck. I watched as it took a powerful bite out of the Bellsprout, swinging it around in its mouth before spitting it out. The Bellsprout was out cold. The older monk recalled the Pokemon, and the red haired trainer did the same.

"Your Pokemon trusts you well," said the elder man, bowing his head in defeat. "However, you do not return this trust. You seek to use him only to further your own ends."

"Like I need to hear the opinions of a weak old man. Not even having the type advantage did anything to help you win." The trainer sounded a lot like the kid I had met on Route 30.

"How dare you! Have some respect for Elder Li!" That was a voice I recognized, a voice I hadn't heard in a long time. I walked forward a bit more, and saw Rebecca's familiar face and hat standing nearby.

"It is alright, child, there is no need for you to defend me. I have said all I wanted to, so you may leave."

The trainer huffed at the two, and turned around to leave. He glared at me as he passed, even stopping for a moment to eye Vulpix on the ground. She growled at him, not liking his attitude towards Elder Li, either. He didn't bother to say anything, and just stormed out. Once he was gone, I walked ahead.

"Rebecca! How've you been?"

"Star? Is that really you?" She said, blinking rapidly.

"Yeah! It's been so long! Not since we met near Vermillion City."

"Listen, about that day," Rebecca said, looking away slightly. "I'm sorry. I was angry at the time, and I kinda went off against you."

"It's okay," I said, hardly remembering the incident. "So what are you doing here?"

"I'm from here," she said, aiming her hand towards the monk. "Elder Li raised me since I was almost five. I'm actually from Ecruteak City, but my parents died when I was little, so Elder Li promised to look after me. We moved here a while back."

"Have you come to test the bonds of your Pokemon, child?" The older man finally stepped forward.

"Yes, actually, since I'm here. Will it be a battle like you had with that other trainer?"

"A battle is only necessary to determine just how close a bond you have with your Pokemon. However, I can see clear as day that your Pokemon, particularly your Vulpix, has an unbreakable bond with you."

"Well," I said, picking her up in my arms, "we've been together for more than a year now. She's my very best friend."

"And it shows. There won't be a need for a battle here, today. Always remember to treat your Pokemon with love and respect, and the bonds between you will never be broken."

"Thank you, Elder Li. I promise to do that."

The monk walked off to another end of the floor, getting on his knees to continue his meditations. Rebecca dragged me to the other end of the floor, so we wouldn't disturb him.

"I had a feeling he'd say that about you," she said petting Vulpix on the head.

"Is that why you have a Weepinbell? You started with a Bellsprout from here?"

"Yeah, though he's not a Weepinbell anymore. He evolved a couple weeks ago, right when I needed his help to beat a tough opponent. So, what are you doing here in Johto?"

"Well, after I got all my badges from Kanto, I decided not to go to Indigo Plateau. Professor Oak from Pallet Town asked me to accompany him to New Bark Town, and from there, I was convinced to take the gym challenge here, too."

"Why bother if you don't want to enter Indigo Plateau?" Rebecca asked.

"That's what I said, but then I figured it helped me keep moving. If I know there's another badge to collect, I keep traveling, and don't stay in one place for long. Plus, it helps me learn more about battling."

"Well, that's one way to look at it, I guess." Rebecca said. She pulled out her trainer card from her pocket, showing it to me. There were a few badges on there from Kanto, and one I didn't recognize.

"I never finished the challenge myself," she said, putting the card back in her pocket, "just didn't have it in me anymore. So, I came back home."

"Well, nothing wrong with that if you really didn't want to do it anymore. What can you tell me about the gym leader here?"

"Actually, there's a new leader now. The old one left on a journey, and his son took over the gym. When I challenged the old leader, the specialty was flying Pokemon, so at least that should give you some idea what to expect. You going there now?"

"Nah, maybe tomorrow. It was a long ride here from Cherrygrove City, and I'm a bit tired. Plus, there's no rush." Not to mention I wanted to go sightseeing, something I'd end up not getting a chance to do.

"Well, I'll meet you there. You wouldn't mind if I were your cheerleader against him?"

"I'd like that," I said with a smile. "Then I'll see you tomorrow."

~o~

Back outside, it was still sunny and quite pleasant. I could've taken on the gym leader already, but before I could go back on my choice, I noticed a group of kids playing around with their Pokemon by the lake. Curious, I walked over to them, poking through to see a pair of critters that resembled Pikachu.

"What are they?" I asked, which caused all the kids there to look at me like I was crazy.

"They're Pichus! Baby Pikachus! Aren't they just adorable?" One of the little girls in the group picked up one of the yellow rodents, hugging him like a teddy bear. Just as I was about to take out my Pokedex to scan it, a voice cried out to the entire group. We all looked over to the source, it being a police officer.

"Oh, no! They found out! Run!"

A few of the kids scattered about, running away from the police officer. Since I had nothing to run away from, I just stayed there, along with the little girl hugging the Pichu, and another boy that didn't run with the others. The police officer reached us, and took a moment to catch his breath.

"It's a good thing you three didn't run. When I catch those other three, they'll be punished twice as much for running!"

"We're sorry, officer," said the boy, lowering his head. "We just wanted to play with the Pokemon."

"Then you should've waited until class was over. Come along now, all of you."

"Um, actually, I'm not with them," I said, digging through my bad for my trainer card.

"Sure you're not, kid. Come on, I don't have time to waste playing with you kids, I have three little delinquents to catch."

Without giving me a chance to prove myself, the officer pushed me along with the other two kids. He must've been overworked, seeing as how the other two children were dressed in school uniforms and I surely wasn't. Of course, hanging around other school kids, looking the way I did, wasn't the smarted idea, either.

A short walk down the street, we arrived at a large building. The sign on the front read 'Earl's Pokemon Academy', most definitely a Pokemon related school. After forcing us through the door, the officer called for the instructor to pick us up, and left. Out came a rather chubby fellow, dressed in an ugly blue suit.

"Tsk tsk, you kids know better than to go skipping class like that! Off to your seats now, all of you." The other two went off without saying anything, but I didn't move from that spot.

"Actually, sir, I'm not-"

"Not dressed properly for class, I know," he finished for me, though it wasn't what I wanted to say. "Go on, there are spare uniforms in the next room. Get properly dressed, and we can resume the lesson."

Rather than try and convince him, despite having the proof in my bag, I just went with what he asked. Yeah, it was school, but since I didn't belong there, there was no harm in dressing the part and having a bit of fun. Besides, I had never been to a Pokemon Academy before, though I did have a dream that I went to one once. I believe it was called Sandstone in the dream.

In the next room, I saw a wardrobe against the wall, with a few uniforms of various sizes hanging inside. I closed the door behind me, and walked over to fetch one. After finding the right size, I slipped out of my dress and into the outfit, which consisted of a white blouse and dark blue skirt. Back in the classroom, I took a seat by the girl with the Pichu.

"Well, now that everyone, or mostly everyone, is back, we can continue the lesson. Now, who here can tell me which type is most effective against water Pokemon?"

A couple hands went up into the air, mine included. The instructor, whose name was Earl, as evidenced by the patch on his suit, called on one of the hands in the back of the class.

"Grass type, or electric." Said the boy he picked.

"Correct! Now, how about a dark type?" This time, no one raised their hands. That didn't stop Earl from picking a student at random.

"I don't know," he said quietly.

"Come on, class! The dark type! Not many of those around, but someone has to know!" Again, no one raised a hand. "Bug and fighting types! Say it with me, class!"

"Bug and fighting types," repeated the entire classroom. I didn't chip in, though.

"Good. Now, what about the steel type? This is another rare type, not seen much in our neighboring Kanto. Anyone?" And for the third time, no one raised a hand. This time, Earl pointed at me.

"Um," I stuttered, and looked down at Vulpix, who was sitting on the floor by me. "Fire?"

"Yes! Good work, um...?" Earl stopped for a moment, leaning in close to me. "Just who are you?"

"My name is Star." I answered with a giggle.

"You're not one of my students."

"I know, sir. But you didn't give me a chance to explain earlier." Earl backed away, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"Well, my apologies, Star. I've been a bit wound up of late. You're free to go, if you'd like. I have no right to keep you here."

I stood up, gathering my bag and Vulpix at my feet. I realized I still had the uniform on, and pointed at it.

"Should I return this to the other room?"

"Won't be necessary, dear, consider it a souvenir for the trouble we caused."

I nodded, and made for the door. I noticed the look on some of the other students, most of them looking at me with envy. I knew the feeling of wanting to leave class in place of another student. Before I left completely, however, I turned to Earl to ask a few more questions.

"You said there weren't many steel or dark types in Kanto, why is that?"

"Well, steel and dark type Pokemon aren't indigenous to the area. It's no stretch that most residents of Kanto aren't familiar with the types at all, but they exist. Magnemite and Magneton are examples of steel types living in the region. Perhaps you'd like to take a seat, in case you're not familiar with the types and their characteristics?"

After all that, I ended up staying for the rest of the lecture. Earl had a point about the two types in Kanto, as the encyclopedia I used to carry with me didn't even list Magnemite or Magneton as anything but electric types. It suddenly made sense how Vulpix was able to defeat that Magnemite back in the power plant that one time! I learned about both these new types, and their strengths and weaknesses. After all, it was crucial to know these things for future fights.

It would be dark out by the time class was officially dismissed. The police officer that brought me in along with those other students was outside the building, distraught over being unable to catch the other three kids. Now officially tired, I made for the Pokemon Center, when I ran across Rebecca headed in the same direction.

"Star? Why are you wearing a school uniform?"

"Uh, long story, I'll share it later," I said, blushing a bit. I could only imagine how much more the outfit made me look like an everyday schoolgirl. Not that there was anything wrong with that!


	26. Birds and Ruins

Birds and Ruins, Chapter 26

Morning came, and with it the shadow of a gym battle. If what Rebecca told me still proved true, the leader would be using flying Pokemon, a type I really had little advantage over with my Pokemon. Still, I held my head high as I marched towards the gym that morning, confident in my ability to win a badge. If I had beaten masters of psychic or fire Pokemon, I couldn't see how a flying type master would be any tougher.

Rebecca was waiting for me outside the gym, a Victreebel leaning against her. Before I got any closer, Vulpix begged me to carry her, so I did, believing she was just afraid of the large plant Pokemon.

"Is that your Weepinbell?" I reached out and stroked the large plant's side. It was surprisingly smooth and soft.

"Yeah, he finally evolved. He likes taking in the morning sun, so I let him roam around outside while I'm at the Sprout Tower. So, you ready?"

"Much as I'll ever be, let's go!"

Unlike the gyms of Kanto, I'd later learn that all the gyms in Johto shared a similar building structure. Though much like Kanto, the insides of these buildings took on the themes of their respective leaders. Since flying Pokemon was the theme in Violet, the gym here was... empty!

I looked around, seeing only a small platform with the Pokeball logo of the League on it. I walked over to it, but didn't step on it just yet. The area ahead had a large shadow of a Pokeball, which drew my gave upwards. About twenty or so feet in the air, there was an arena, hanging off the rafters of the gym itself.

"Well, certainly wasn't like this the last time I was here," said Rebecca, shielding her eyes from the sunlight coming through the open roof.

"Then I guess this platform is an elevator. Let's hop on together."

I grabbed her hand, and we both jumped onto the brown mark on the floor. It shook, then shot us up into the air at blazing speeds. It only took a few seconds to reach the top, but by then we were both on our butts from the sudden rise. After getting back on our feet, we looked across to see the gym leader standing on the other end of the arena, or what was left of it. Rather than a solid fighting space, only the outline of the Pokeball symbol was stable ground. The arena was designed for flying types.

"Welcome to the Violet Gym. Have both of you come to challenge me for the Zephyrbadge?" The leader was a teenager, roughly fifteen or so. He spoke in an overly deep voice, like he was trying too hard to sound older than he really was.

"My name is Star," I said, stepping forward slightly. "I'm the one who's here to challenge you."

"I am Falkner. The rules are: two Pokemon versus two. If your Pokemon falls through the arena below, they are automatically disqualified."

"That seems a bit unfair to the challenger," I said, momentarily forgetting my place.

"I don't have time to bend to every challenger that walks through my gym," Falkner snapped, catching me off guard. "If you don't like my rules in my gym, then run on home."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it." I apologized. I had almost forgotten that gym leaders did have every right to remove the trainer's card.

"Select your Pokemon, or leave my gym." Falkner said, crossing his arms. Every mention of the word 'my' seemed to be emphasized, I noticed. Guess he really took his position and the gym seriously. And that meant I had to watch my mouth around him.

I took another look at the supposed 'arena'. There was hardly enough floor to walk on safely enough for Vulpix, let alone Lapras, whose Ice Beam could've made the fight easier. I reached for Farfetch'd's Pokeball, as flying versus flying was the best choice here. I released my Pokemon, and Falkner threw his first Pokeball out, releasing a Fearow.

I hadn't noticed it before, but there was a large bell hanging from the center of the of the Pokeball catwalk. With a single push, the large bronze bell let out a loud gong, and the battle had begun.

"Fearow, Drill Peck!"

"Farfetch'd, Fury Attack!"

Both birds took to the air, with Farfetch'd carrying his leek in his talons this time. Fearow was a much larger critter, so it had an easier time closing in on Farfetch'd, its pointy beak flying straight for my Pokemon. Farfetch'd spread open its legs as much as it could, evading Fearow's attack by trapping the other bird's head between his legs and the leek underneath. Farfetch'd then got straight to work pecking like mad on Fearow's neck.

"Fearow, Pluck!"

"Farfetch'd, another Fury Attack!"

With Fearow still trapped between his legs, Farfetch'd had little trouble pounding away at the large bird's neck. Finally, Fearow broke free, diving his neck in for a swift strike not at Farfetch'd, but his leek. The larger bird snatched the item right out of his talons, snapping it in two. Farfetch'd was left stunned at the sight.

"Fearow, finish him off with Drill Peck!"

"Farfetch'd, Agility!"

Farfetch'd didn't listen to my order, though, instead letting out several angry quacks before bum rushing his opponent. Fearow's Drill Peck managed to strike him directly, but Farfetch'd shrugged off the attack, glowing a bright blue as it rammed right into Fearow. Confused, I pulled out my Pokedex to see just what Farfetch'd was doing. The move came up on the screen as 'Brave Bird', one of the greatest flying type abilities in the world.

After the attack, Fearow fell onto the Pokeball catwalk, unable to move anymore. Falkner recalled his Pokemon, preparing his next. At that instant, Farfetch'd returned to my side, visibly battered up and tired, not to mention down on his spirits after losing his leek. Since there was no way he could continue, I put him back in his Pokeball. Falkner released his final Pokemon, a Pidgeotto. I matched him with Dratini.

"Pidgeotto, Quick Attack!"

"Dratini, wrap yourself around the walkway!"

The bird disappeared, but gave Dratini enough chance to coil around the thin ground underneath. Pidgeotto came in strong, hurting Dratini pretty badly for a first attack.

"Pidgeotto, Quick Attack again!"

"Dratini, Dragon Rage!"

The small serpent spat out a wave of blue and green flames, but the attack missed as Pidgeotto once again vanished from sight. It came up right behind Dratini, striking hard and loosening her grip further. If Falkner kept up the strategy, Dratini wouldn't make it.

"One more time!" He called out, confirming my fears.

"Dratini, hold on!"

She looked at me like I was crazy, only to catch as the bird disappeared again. She braced herself for the pain she was about receive. Just before Pidgeotto swooped in, I called my attack.

"Dratini, Thunder Wave now!"

The nub on her head began to glow, and she let the attack go off just as Pidgeotto reappeared in front of her. The electric waves struck head on, paralyzing Pidgeotto right in front of her. The bird was trying desperately to flap its wings to stay above the arena.

"Dratini, Slam now!"

Loosening her grip on the ground, Dratini swung her tail around the side, slamming directly into the paralyzed bird, and sending it crashing down towards the first floor of the gym. Pidgeotto managed to recover just in time to avoid the crash, but it didn't matter. According to Falkner's own rules, his bird Pokemon had been disqualified. And that knowledge made him visibly angry, even from my end of the arena.

~o~

"You've earned yourself the Zephybadge, Star," said Falkner, handing me the small trinket. It was shaped the wings of a bird, a fitting design. Falkner's tone was clearly annoyed, and I wondered just how much trouble he was going through to keep a lid on his rage. He had just lost to a trainer with a weaker flying Pokemon, and on an arena that was designed to hinder every other type.

"Thanks, that was a great battle. You sure know how to, uh," I stuttered, not sure how to compliment him without outright pointing at the arena above and call it a cheat. After a moment of silence, Falkner spoke up.

"I sure know how to what?"

"Oh nothing, slipped my mind. Anyway, thank you for the badge, and I'll be seeing you!"

I picked up Vulpix and grabbed onto Rebecca's arm, dragging her out of the gym, and never looking back on Falkner. Once outside, I wiped the few droplets of sweat that had formed on the spot. Rebecca chuckled, giving me a pat on the back.

"Couldn't come up with some lie about the fairness of the battle, huh?"

"Usually I can," I sighed. "But he just made it next to impossible to win. Can gym leaders do that?"

"I read they can do that, and a lot more. Their only true restrictions are in the Pokemon they use, and staying away from banned moves. Even then, I've heard they can go for months, even years without being investigated by the Pokemon League." Falkner was one example, but my thoughts turned to Giovanni in Viridian City. He didn't even care about killing other Pokemon right in his own gym.

"I don't get why trainers put up with the gym leaders, then."

"Not all of them are like Falkner, Star. He's probably just acting all tough because he has some pretty big shoes to fill. His father was a much better trainer."

"I could name a few that act like him," I said, though as I thought back on the names I wanted to say, not a one of them save Giovanni ever manipulated the arena to their advantage. Sabrina and Surge were pretty brutal fights, but they never made it hard for the trainer. They just flat out beat the crap out of them. Thankfully, Blaine's arena was completely solid, if a little wobbly.

"Why are you complaining? You're taking the challenge because you want to. If it's too much-" I quickly cut her off.

"No! Forget I said anything." I turned on my Pokegear, researching the map for my next destination. Just a short ways north, through a thicket was Ecruteak City, further west Goldenrod City, and far to the south was Azalea Town. Each of them had a gym to visit, so it was really just a matter of pick-and-choose. Azalea Town was the farthest away, but it was home to Kurt, the guy who could make Pokeballs, according to the man I met on Route 30. Seemed like a good place to start.

"So, where are you headed now? Ecruteak City?" Rebecca asked,

"Azalea Town. I heard there's someone there who can make Pokeballs out of apricorns. Plus, there's a gym down there, as well." I turned off the little device, and looked at Rebecca. "You wanna come with me?"

"Sorry, I'll pass. If you head to Ecruteak, maybe I'll go with you, though. It's been a long time since I've visited."

"Well, how about after I visit Azalea and Goldenrod?" I turned on my Pokegear again, making sure the plan was solid. "Look, I have to take Route 32 all the way to Azalea. I can visit there, come up Route 34 to Goldenrod, and then make another stop by here!"

"You sure? You don't have to go out of your way just so we can go together, you know."

"It won't be a problem! I'll be back as soon as I can, so just see about getting ready quickly when I return. That's if you want to come with me, of course." Rebecca put her hand on her chin, thinking about the proposition for a moment.

"Well, alright! I'll tell Elder Li today and get started on my chores in the tower. If I get everything done before you return, we can go together!"

"Then it's a deal. I'll see you when I get back from Goldenrod City, Rebecca."

~o~

When I stopped traveling with David, I was under the belief that a Pokemon journey had to be a solo affair. And this was still true, but I wasn't on a journey for badges or rewards now, just traveling the countryside. Though this was still something I wanted to do on my own, having Rebecca accompany me for a small part of the trip wouldn't be too bad. Plus, Rebecca was a girl, unlike the slightly snobby David. She'd be much easier to talk to.

I was starting to see a pattern with the roads of Johto. Kanto's roads were also pretty rural, but at least there were beaten paths to follow for the most part. Here, every route seemed less and less traveled, which meant more grassy patches for wild Pokemon to hide out in. I met a few new kinds of Pokemon out here, though, like the soft and cuddly Mareep, or the morning bug Ledyba. I also started to notice a new desire burning up inside me: the urge to capture more and more cuddly critters. As I resisted the urge to order Vulpix to attack the third Mareep on the road, I couldn't seem to remember a suitable reason for having captured Hoppip the other day.

In the end, I didn't capture anymore Pokemon, partly because I was all out of Pokeballs to use, save for that unique purple one I had 'acquired' back on the Seafoam Islands from Team Rocket. Struck me as strange that I had gone through the motion of moving it from my old bag to my new one, and didn't remember to ask Professor Oak about it. Either way, I wasn't about to use such a rare item on a common Mareep. Another reason that kept me from running back to Violet's market, was a small road leading west from Route 32.

The Pokegear's map said there was a place called the Ruins of Alph just beyond the small road, but said there wasn't much there to see. Being the curious cat I was, though, I turned right and followed the dirt path through a canyon. Beyond the last rock wall, I walked into the center of a small city, or what was left of one, anyway. Several worn down buildings, all of them missing roofs and a few missing walls lined the sides of the road. The only thing that seemed out of place there was a small hut in the corner, a place for the scientists studying the ruins to rest. Before wandering into the ruins proper, I let myself into the hut.

Inside, I saw a few people dressed in safari outfits, all of them circling a blackboard with an ugly picture on it. I walked up behind them, taking a look at the picture crudely drawn on there. It resembled a Kabuto, an ancient Pokemon that was now extinct. I stood there amongst them, finding it harder with every passing second not to laugh. Either every scientist in the world was deaf and blind to the world outside their focus, or I had a magical gift for sneaking around them. When a giggle finally managed to escape me, all three of them jumped back once they saw I was there.

"How'd you get in here?" One of them asked, after the initial shock had died down.

"The door's unlocked," I said, pointing at the door behind me. "There wasn't any sign that said 'Do Not Enter', so I just stopped by."

"I'll have no lip from a lass, thank you. Why are you here?" The head scientist was older than the other two, naturally, and pretty agitated with me.

"I'm a Pokemon trainer," I said, offering my hand to him. "My name is Star."

"Charles," he said, shaking my hand, "and these are my assistants, Benjamin and Rupert. You still haven't answered my question, young lady."

"I just wandered into the ruins, and came in here to say hello. That picture, by the way," I said, pointing to the blackboard, "isn't very good."

"Very good? You don't even have the slightest clue what it is!"

"Actually, I do. It looks a lot like a Kabuto, but some of the parts are drawn wrong." The three men turned towards the picture, trying to see this mystery Pokemon hidden in the lines.

"Kabuto, you say? I don't see it!" Charles traced the picture's edge from top to bottom.

"Because you have it on its side." I pointed to a large white dot on the left side of the picture. "See that? That's one of its eyes."

"Charles, I think she's right! No wonder we haven't had any luck! We've been viewing the picture from the wrong angle!" Rupert ran over to a desk on the other side of the hut, scrambling for his notepad.

"You're welcome," I told them, a smile on my face.

"Star, was it? You're telling me you could piece this picture together the correct way?"

"Well, I can't really draw, but I could try."

"Not draw, lass! It's a puzzle! We've been trying to piece it together for a few weeks now, but with no success. We assumed the pieces already placed on the board belonged there, so of course it never seemed to work!"

"If you need help, I'm free." I offered. After all, I was in no particular rush to get to Azalea Town today.

"Then come with me. Rupert, Benjamin, grab your gear and double time it to the site!"

Charles tore the picture from the blackboard, rolling it up into a tube and running out the door. I picked up Vulpix and followed after him, the other two scientists close behind. Charles went into one of the more intact buildings at the site, showing me the puzzle they were talking about on a large stone tablet. Scattered around the floor were half a dozen spare pieces, with the majority of them already nearly lodged into slots on the tablet. They were clearly in the wrong spots.

"Well, can you fix it?" Charles asked me.

"I think so," I said, picking up a piece from the ground. "Why haven't you guys tried it?"

"Like I said, we thought the pieces already on the tablet belonged there. What's more, it would take some time to find a picture of this Kabuto Pokemon, now. If you know what it looks like, please help us out!"

I shrugged my shoulders, getting right to work on the puzzle. It was pretty strange how something as simple and childish as a jigsaw puzzle would baffle grown-ups like this. What if I had never come this way? How long would it have taken them to figure this out on their own? Well, skipping over the few minutes that I consumed piecing the puzzle together, I was finally down to the last piece.

"My word!" Exclaimed Charles, seeing the near-finished result. "To think the answer was so simple!"

"This is the last piece," I said, taking a deep breath before I slipped into the slot. Once I did, we all felt the floor rumble slightly. Right after, the ground right in front of the tablet fell through, taking me and Vulpix with it. Fortunately, the fall wasn't far, and I managed to land on my legs just right to avoid breaking them on the way down. If I were a fox like Vulpix, I could've landed perfectly.

"Star! Are you alright, lass?" Charles called out from above. I could see their silhouettes, but not their faces.

"Yeah, I'm okay!" I took a look around. This wasn't just some cave underground, but another part of the ruins themselves. The walls were covered in strange markings, resembling letters just closely enough to make out words. I couldn't see enough to actually read anything, though.

"What's down there?" Charles asked.

"More ruins! You should come down here and see!"

"We'll be down as soon as we can! We'll need to get some rope!"

The chamber was actually a hallway, and it was pitch black beyond the small bit of light I was standing in. Still, waiting for Charles and his assistants to pull me out was no fun, so I told Vulpix to follow me into the darkness. With my arms outstretched, I felt around in the dark until I came to the wall. Feeling my way across, I eventually came upon something sticking out from the wall. I reached over to it, feeling it was made of wood, a torch. I yanked it off the wall, and ran back towards the light.

"Light this, Vulpix." She opened her mouth and breathed a small flame on the end of the torch, setting it ablaze.

With a light source in my hands, I boldly marched down the hallway. I expected there to be some kind of Pokemon living down there, as was the norm. Didn't matter if the place had been sealed shut for centuries, somehow they always got in. Well, I was both proven wrong and right at the same time that day. Out from the darkness came a floating letter, or at least it looked like a letter. Either way, it had a huge eyeball in the center, which just creeped me out and sent me running and screaming in the opposite direction.

I didn't know if Vulpix followed me or stayed behind to fight the monster, all I knew was that within seconds I was back at the spot where the sunlight poured down on me. I turned around, looking into the darkness, trying to see if that thing was chasing me. Vulpix wasn't at my feet for a moment, and she finally came out of the darkness to join me. I grabbed her and held her close, ready to order her to attack if it showed up again.

"Star? Something happen?" Charles called out from up top.

"There's something down here with a large eyeball!" I said, screaming up to Charles. He had the rope in his hands, and threw it down to me. I picked up the rope with one hand, and took another look into the darkness. That floating eyeball was just hovering right in front of my eyes. The last thing I remember was hearing Vulpix bark at it, and then I just passed out completely.

~o~

I woke up inside the hut, roughly a few hours later. Vulpix was sitting on a chair by the cot where I was lying down, and she instantly jumped on me once she saw I was awake. The last time I passed out like that was back in Kanto, when I met Bill for the first time. That time it was more of a shock, while this time was pretty much the ultimate jump scare. I got off the cot and walked outside the hut. It was getting dark out, but that's not what caught my attention. Floating all around us were those strange letters with eyeballs. Together they were chanting something, but it was in some strange language I didn't understand.

"Star! You're finally awake! You're alright, I hope?" Charles ran over to my side, but he was so taken back by the sight in the skies I don't think he was paying much attention to anything I was saying.

"What are they?" I asked, just as amazed by the sight as he was.

"Pokemon! At least, we think they're Pokemon. After you passed out down there, they just started flowing out of the passage you were in. They just float around up there, singing that strange song."

Remembering my Pokedex, I reached into my bag and pulled it out. I aimed at the sky, hoping I was close enough to scan one of them.

"Unown, the Symbol Pokemon. Their shapes look like hieroglyphs on ancient tablets. It is said that the two are somehow related."

"Then they are Pokemon! What a discovery! I've already sent Benjamin and Rupert back to Goldenrod City to find more help. Thanks to you, Star, we may have unearthed a huge part of Pokemon history!"

"I was happy to help, Charles," I said, giving the man a smile. "Can I ask you for one favor?"

"Anything! Name it!"

"Can I stay in the hut tonight? I'd rather not camp out on the road to Azalea Town tonight."

"That all? Of course! Just take the cot you woke up in, I doubt I'll be sleeping tonight!"

I left Charles outside, watching for a while as he followed the strange Pokemon around, studying them in close detail. Though I was just as intrigued at this strange new critter, I honestly didn't find them intriguing enough to warrant anymore of my attention. I was sure Charles would right detailed articles on all his discoveries. When I grew up, I'm sure they'd be recommended reading for adults.


	27. Southern Johto

Southern Johto; Caves, Rockets and Pokemon, Chapter 27

When I left the Ruins of Alph the next morning, I saw Charles still going strong with the cloud of Unown. Rather than distract him, I quietly left the ancient town. There was still quite a long road ahead before Azalea Town, so I pulled out my bike and went for the quicker, more scenic route. Now that the summer months were coming to an end, there was a noticeable chill in the air, but still not enough to warrant a wardrobe change. I loved the autumn and winter months, but what I didn't like was having to change out of my summer dress. Mom would blow a gasket if she knew I was out in the day's slight chill without a light jacket or scarf.

On that note, I got my usual morning call from her while I was on the road. I normally slept until well after sunrise, but I had underestimated the annoyance of the Unown's chanting. Felt like every few minutes I was waking up to that song. After I finished talking to Mom that morning, I even caught myself humming that tune.

Aside from the multitude of wild Pokemon between me and Azalea Town, there was one other obstacle. Since Mt Moon, I had done my very best to avoid caves, even lucking out entirely and skipping Kanto's Rock Tunnel. However, now there was another cave blocking my path, the Union Cave on Route 32. I put away my bike outside the cave, poking my head inside before actually entering. Right from there, I could see quite a few wild Geodudes and Zubat flying about.

"Well, Vulpix, guess we could try to outrun them all through the cave," I told my traveling companion, watching for her reaction. Surprisingly she shook her head, trying to tell me that was a bad idea.

"Why not? You know we'll have a hard time if you're fighting those Geodudes. Want me to bring out someone else to lead the way?" Vulpix nodded. I sighed, not liking that idea. After a few hours of biking through the wilds, I was tired beyond measure, and just wanted desperately to arrive. Against Vulpix's warnings, I picked her up and ran into the cave.

Of course, the second those Pokemon noticed me, they started chasing me. Like I said, they probably wouldn't have been a problem to deal with, but I just didn't want to fight them off. With Vulpix in my arms, looking back over my shoulder and barking at the Geodudes, I ran through the tunnels, making turns every chance I got. I didn't know exactly where I was headed, but I always had a knack for finding my way out of trouble. Or running right into it, which is exactly what happened.

After another turn, I ran right into a dead end. I turned right around to keep moving, only to be trapped by the group of Geodudes, and even an Onix I hadn't noticed following me. Vulpix wiggled out of my arms, shielding me from the angry rocky critters. She wouldn't be able to handle them all, so I reached for Primeape's Pokeball.

"Vulpix, keep them back with Ember! Primeape, Karate Chop!"

Vulpix spun around, raining down flames on the Pokemon. Fire wasn't effective against rock types, but it did keep them back long enough for Primeape to ready his attack. He started with one random Geodude, slamming down on it and driving it into the ground. The rest of the Geodudes rushed Primeape, while the Onix lunged forward, aiming for Vulpix.

"Vulpix, watch out!"

She managed to jump out of the way, which left me in a very bad position. Onix continued forward, nearly ramming me against the wall. Somehow, I scrambled away just in time, but Onix crashed into the wall, causing more rocks to rain down on everyone in the small tunnel. I covered my head, blocking out a few of the falling boulders, when a much larger one fell down on Onix's head, from what I saw. The large snake flinched, but ultimately went crashing back onto the ground, causing it to break apart. Like in the ruins yesterday, I went falling down the hole that formed as a result.

The fall was much farther down, but my luck still being strong, I landed in an underground lake. Since I couldn't swim, I started splashing around, trying to reach for Lapras's Pokeball. The Onix fell in after me, causing a large splash that pushed me further away, and made me lose my grip on Lapras's Pokeball. Desperate to stay afloat, I reached around for anything around me, my eyes closed to prevent water from getting in my eyes.

"Help!" I screamed out, hoping someone, anyone, could hear me. I felt myself sinking deeper into the water, coughing up water as it tried to make its way down my throat. Within seconds I was swallowing more than I was coughing, and I was even losing the strength to stay afloat.

I heard, or felt, a splash nearby, but I was already losing consciousness. If that was to be my end, caused because I was too lazy to push through the cave like normal, I had only myself to blame. I felt something painful in my chest, and then couldn't feel anything anymore.

~o~

Passing out was quickly becoming a hobby of mine. When I came to, I was inside someone's house. I distinctly remembered regaining consciousness inside the cave, no doubt after whoever saved me pumped all the water out of me. Yet now, I was inside this house, with an older man tending to a teapot on the stove. Right next to him was Vulpix, her eyes fixated on the steam coming from the pot.

"Grandpa! She's awake!" The voice came from a little girl sitting on my other side, her hair in two big loops on either side of her face.

"Good timing! The tea is just about ready." Said the old man from the other side of the house.

Vulpix ran over to my side, licking my face once she noticed I was awake. Standing over me was Primeape, also content to see me alive and well. I made an effort to get up off the bed, when the little girl stopped me.

"You shouldn't get up! Grandpa said you might get sick unless you stay warm," she told me, before leaning in closer to whisper, "And we had to take your clothes, because they were all wet."

With that knowledge on hand, I stayed perfectly concealed underneath the sheets. The older man walked over, a tray in his hands with several cups of steaming-hot tea. He offered me one, which I took, making sure to sit up while keeping the sheets over my body. The tea was pretty strong, but just sweet enough that it didn't taste like medicine.

"You're very lucky to be here," he said, taking the empty cup from me. "Though, that might be a bit of a mixed blessing."

"What do you mean? What happened?" The last thing I remembered was falling into the lake, and nearly drowning. Just who had come to my timely rescue?

"Well, the way they tell it, you were drowning in the Union Cave, and a few 'good samaritans' saved you. That true?"

"I don't remember," I said, finishing up the second cup of tea. "I ran into some wile Geodudes and an Onix. The ground collapsed, and I fell into the water. Only thing I remember after that was screaming for help."

"It's a good thing you did," said the little girl. "If not, they probably wouldn't have saved you."

"Who saved me?" The little girl frowned, looking to her grandfather across the bed. I turned to him, his expression equally grim.

"Members of Team Rocket." My eyes must've shot open more than was physically possible.

"Team Rocket saved me!? I thought they were only in Kanto!" The old man gave me a pat on the shoulder.

"Calm down, kid. Team Rocket is practically everywhere, or so I hear. You should be thankful they saved you, otherwise you wouldn't be here with us right now. However, I'm afraid their help came with a price."

It didn't take me more than a second to realize what that price was. I looked around the house, trying to spot my stuff. In a corner, I saw my bag, but not my Pokeball belt. I couldn't believe my eyes.

"My Pokemon...! They took them?" I could hardly believe the words escaping my lips.

"'Fraid so. These two here are yours, I take it? They followed me out of the cave, just after Team Rocket handed you over to me. Strange that two of your creatures would be out and about, but I had no problem bringing them along for the ride."

"They were fighting off the Geodudes in the cave. When I fell, they probably followed me down there somehow. Did they take anything else?" Not that anything else mattered at this point.

"Just your belt. There were four Pokeballs on it, and one of the grunts had an odd, purple Pokeball, too." The Master Ball; they had taken it back. If any of the grunts had recognized it, I'd have been in worse trouble, so for the moment I was safe. It took me a second, but I also noticed something else strange about his statement.

"Wait, four Pokeballs on the belt? Are you sure?"

"Yes, saw it with my own eyes. I wish I could've done something to help, but they dumped you off on me, and I had to make sure you were safe."

My belt always had five Pokeballs on it; Farfetch'd, Hoppip, Dratini, Lapras, and Primeape. Primeape was out of his Pokeball, but I always clipped it right back on after releasing a critter for battle. Then it hit me: Lapras. I had reached for his Pokeball when I was drowning, and when the Onix landed, I lost it somewhere in the lake. Unless the Rockets picked it up after, it would still be floating in the lake. I had to get back there and look for him.

"I have to go back! I need to find Lapras!" I moved to get out of bed.

"Now, now," said the old man, pushing me back onto the bed, "you're going to stay here until tomorrow. I let you out now, you'll catch a deathly cold."

"I can't just stay here! My Pokemon are in trouble!"

"I hate to be the one to break it to ya, kid, but your Pokemon are long gone." The old man walked over to a window, opening the curtain for me. It was dark outside, meaning I had been out of it for some time. He didn't have to say anything else; Team Rocket had probably whisked them all away hours ago.

"I'm sorry, kid. Maisy here will help you get dressed, I need to step out." The old man made for the door, stopping as his hand touched the handle. "By the way, name's Kurt."

The very same Kurt I had come all the way to Azalea Town to find. I guess it was a cruel twist of fate that the trip down here would cost me so much, but now wasn't the time to be thinking about fate. Kurt left the house, leaving me behind with his granddaughter. She brought me my dress, which had been laid to dry near a windowsill. I got dressed, though I almost didn't want to get out of bed. Vulpix and Primeape were sitting against a wall, both just as sad at having lost their friends. I was trying my best not to break down in tears.

"Are you okay?" Asked Maisy, seeing the sadness in my eyes.

"This is Azalea Town, right?"

"Yeah. It used to be very pretty here, before those mean men from Team Rocket showed up."

"How long have they been here?"

"Over a week, now. They came in during the night, and attacked Bugsy's gym. They took all of his Pokemon, and made sure he couldn't stop them."

Maisy explained everything after that. With the local gym leader no longer a threat, the grunts were free to do as they pleased in town. They forced Nurse Joy and the staff of the local Pokemon Center out, and shut the place down. The reason they were in Azalea was the Slowpoke Well, a small cave at the bottom of a well on the edge of town. Slowpoke families lived there, and they were cutting off their tails to sell for money. If Giovanni was behind all of this, my hatred for him only grew that much more.

"And nobody's come to help?" If Azalea was a destination for hopefuls headed to Indigo Plateau, it was strange that I was the first person to stumble into Team Rocket's plan.

"They have the town cut off from everyone. You got lucky, and were brought into town because you nearly drowned. They've closed off the Union Cave, and because they haven't let anyone leave town, the Ilex Forest hasn't had the trees cut down in a few days. No one can enter the town." Maisy certainly made it sound as if Team Rocket had the entire town under their control. Well, everything except the newest visitor.

"Well, I won't just sit here and do nothing!" I got up, calling for both my remaining Pokemon to join my side.

"You shouldn't go out! Grandpa said you might catch a cold!"

"And I'm right about that!" Kurt's voice echoed in the house, surprising both of us. He walked back inside the house, a young man with shoulder length hair following him.

"Bugsy, this is the young trainer that was brought in today." Kurt let the young man into the living room. He had very fine features, and if I didn't know any better, I'd have thought he was a she!

"Hi, I heard what happened from Kurt," he said, offering me his hand.

"I'm Star," I said as I shook his hand. "This wasn't exactly the plan I had for meeting you."

"I guess not. But, at least now that you're here, we can finally do something about Team Rocket." He opened the small satchel at his side, revealing a Caterpie. The small bug took a look around, making sure it was safe before it crawled up onto his shoulder.

"Is that the only Pokemon you have left?"

"Unfortunately. They took all my other friends, but this little guy managed to slip past them. On his own, he's not much in a fight, but with your help, I think we can finally beat those guys!"

"You don't have to convince me," I said, patting Primeape on his back. "We're just as angry at Team Rocket as you."

"Then I vote we all get some rest, tonight," chimed in Kurt. "We'll come up with a plan to catch those Rockets off guard, and fight back tomorrow morning! Bugsy, you can stay here tonight, so we don't have to waste time joining up."

After setting up where we'd be sleeping, the three of us sat around the table to discuss the plan for tomorrow. Kurt would cause a bit of a scene at the gym, which would distract the guards at the well long enough for Bugsy and I to sneak in. There weren't many of them down there, so if we could get the jump on them, we'd have little problem. Maisy wanted to join in on the plan, but Kurt wouldn't hear of it, which made her rather pouty.

Before we all turned in, I remembered the reason why I wanted to visit Azalea Town in the first place. Primeape needed a Pokeball, so I figured it was as good a time as any to ask Kurt about the apricorns.

"Kurt, can you make me some Pokeballs with these?" I handed him the green and white fruits.

"Sure thing, shouldn't take more than a few hours. I'll get right on it tomorrow, provided the plan goes well and you don't end up without any Pokemon."

"I won't lose anymore of my friends to them. They'll regret having crossed Star, the world's best Pokemon trainer!"

~o~

"There's someone in the gym! It's probably that gym leader again!"

The grunts guarding the well ran off, completely falling for Kurt's distraction. He kept us out of the loop on what exactly he was going to do, but whatever it was, it allowed Bugsy and me to sneak in. After climbing down the rope, we crossed the shallow pool into another part of the cave, finding a few Slowpoke lounging about. Their tales had all been cut off, making them look pretty strange. Just over the next ledge, we saw two members trying to reach a Slowpoke hiding underneath a rock.

"This is the last one," said one of the grunts, pulling on the Pokemon's tail.

"Finally, can't wait to get out of this hick town. I'm dying to take a bath, too. Slowpokes smell terrible." The second grunt released a Pokemon, a Parasect. Its large claws snapped loudly, showing us the means with which they cut the tails. The first grunt pulled on the Slowpoke again, pulling out enough of its tail for the Parasect to cut.

"No! Don't hurt him!"

Bugsy and I were left just as surprised as the grunts on the other end of the cave. Somehow, Maisy had followed into the well, and was now running towards them. She bit the grunt's hand, causing him to let go of the Slowpoke. That was our cue to attack. We emerged from behind the rocks, drawing their attention.

"Let her go, or you'll be sorry!" I called out, Primeape and Vulpix fronting for me.

"Well, if it isn't the little brat we pulled out of the lake! I told you we should've let her drown!" One of the two grunts said.

"We took her Pokemon, though! Where did she get these two?"

"Three! Don't forget my Pokemon!" Bugsy corrected them, holding Caterpie in his hands. The grunts snickered at the tiny bug.

"Fine, you brats want to mess with us?" Parasect stepped forward, and the other grunt released an Arbok.

"Primeape, Low Kick! Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

"Caterpie, String Shot!"

Not even giving the grunts a chance, Vulpix engulfed the large mushroom in flames, while Primeape went flying towards Arbok, foot first.

"Arbok, Constrict!"

The snake wrapped itself around Primeape, squeezing the monkey tighter and tighter. Caterpie crawled up to the snake, releasing a thick spray at its eyes, blinding the Pokemon. Primeape took advantage of this, and managed to slip one of his arms free.

"Primeape, Karate Chop!"

Primeape reeled back his arm, delivering the blow directly on Arbok's head. With that blow, Arbok loosened its grip, and fell to the floor. The grunts gasped, backing off, and finally letting go of Maisy. She ran over to us, hiding behind Bugsy. Primeape and Vulpix closed in on them, until they both dropped to their knees, begging for mercy.

"Please! Don't hurt us!" Said the grunt who mentioned letting me drown before. Figured he'd be the one groveling.

"Where are our Pokemon?" I asked, pointing at the grunt. Primeape walked over to him and hoisted him up by his collar.

"I don't know! Whenever we take Pokemon, another branch of grunts take them away! I swear, I don't know!" What scared me more was the high probability he was telling the truth.

"And you?" I said to the other one.

"What he said! I don't know either!"

"Star, let's bring them outside. We should call the police in Goldenrod, have them come pick these guys up."

Bugsy had a point, but I would've loved to let Primeape have his way with them for a while. They deserved it.

Outside, the other two grunts gave up without a fight, especially since their boss was at the mercy of a large monkey with a short fuse. Once Kurt and some of the other townspeople restrain them, Bugsy gave a call to the authorities in Goldenrod. I would've offered to do it myself, but my Pokegear had broken when I fell into the lake. If Mom had called me that morning, she was probably wracked with worry when I didn't answer.

Sparing the details, I gave her a call, cleared up everything, and finally met Bugsy again outside his gym. Life was quickly returning to normal in town, with the people getting right back to their daily routines. Amidst the chaos, Bugsy handed me a badge, which baffled me.

"The Hivebadge, Star. You've earned it." He said.

"We didn't even get to battle for it. Are you sure?"

"If it wasn't for you, those Rockets would've gotten away with everything they did here. Plus, I can't challenge you if all I have to battle is Caterpie. Consider the match against Team Rocket your challenge." I took the badge, attaching it to the back of my trainer card.

"Thanks, Bugsy. I'm sorry about your Pokemon, too."

"Don't worry, I'm sure my friends will give Team Rocket plenty of trouble. Are you sure you're okay? Must not be easy losing almost all of your friends like that."

Truth was, I wasn't okay. Three of my Pokemon were lost to Team Rocket, and Lapras, whose Pokeball drifted away from me in the Union Cave, was also lost. Kurt and some of the townspeople went into the cave to look for it for me, but came back a couple hours later empty-handed. It would be hard to move on, but I had to. I wouldn't let Team Rocket discourage me from continuing my adventures.

"I'll be fine, Bugsy. Tomorrow, I'll be moving on towards Goldenrod. I guess I'll just have to make new friends as I go along, right?" I gave him a smile, convincing him of my determination.

"Lots of good bug Pokemon in Ilex Forest," he said, giving me one more present. "Use these Pokeballs to catch one. They'll come in handy."

"And these will, too!" Kurt's scraggy voice surprised both of us as he came up from behind. In his hands were two more Pokeballs, these bearing different designs on the top.

"These are the apricorn Pokeballs?" I asked, inspecting the two.

"Yeah, just finished them. This here's a Friend Ball, and this one is a Fast Ball. Former'll make any Pokemon you catch with it instantly loyal, and the latter is best used on those slippery critters."

"Thanks, Kurt! I'm sure they'll be a big help." I put them into my bag, alongside the Master Ball I had recovered from the grunts. They thought it was just a colored Pokeball, and didn't report it. First chance I got, I had to get rid of it, before it fell back into Team Rocket's hands.

"Oh, and one more thing, Kurt," I asked him. "Can you teach me how to make Pokeballs out of apricorns?"

"Star, it would take you years of apprenticeship under me to learn the art. And I don't think I have it in me anymore to teach. Pretty sure you don't have a few years to spare, either."

"Aww, man." I pouted, sounding a lot like Maisy had the night before, according to Kurt. She didn't like the comparison Kurt made.

Since the Pokemon Center in Azalea Town was still locked up, I was invited to stay with Kurt and Maisy again that night. At least I knew I'd get a good night's rest in a comfortable bed.

And while my dreams would be plagued with visions of the Pokemon I lost, at least they didn't turn into outright nightmares that kept me up. Though, would that mean that I never cared enough about those Pokemon I lost...?

I slept well that night. But in the morning, my pillow was soaked from tears shed overnight.


	28. Time Crosser

Time Crosser, Chapter 28

Ilex Forest. It reminded me a lot of Viridian Forest, and my first days on the road. The trees were different, and they reached so high into the sky, covering so much, it was perpetual night in there. It sort of felt like I was back to square one; actually, like the entire trip thus far had been null and void. The similarities were amazing, considering: forest, two critters, sense of encroaching darkness. And like any forest, the constant little rustles and branches snapping that seemed magnified when scared.

And that day, I was scared, or at least down in spirit. For all the good those ten badges on my cards were worth, a single hasty mistake on my part cost me four of my trusted Pokemon. I had told Bugsy that I was fine, but it was eating away at me inside, and I could feel it. What's worse, I think Vulpix could see it happening as well. And there was not a soul in that forest I could talk to about it. Well, my Pokemon aside.

After spinning in circles inside my head for a while, I tried to turn the situation around. What made my time in the Viridian Forest memorable was catching Weedle, though it was more saving him than anything, as I recalled. Still, the concept applied: I needed to catch a new Pokemon.

"Come on, Vulpix," I told the small fox, "Let's go make ourselves some new friends."

I made my way through a group of trees, making as much noise as I could. Pokemon were attracted to it, and now that I needed some wild critters to attack me, not a one was showing. In fact, I started to realize there wasn't a single Pokemon in the area. It went beyond that, even: that part of the forest was dead silent. I couldn't even hear leaves rustling in the wind. That was never a good sign. I was about to turn around and head back, when something caught my eye just beyond the next group of trees. Curious as I was, I pressed forward.

The object in question was a shrine. A small replica of a wooden house, sitting silently in the middle of a clearing. I approached the shrine, seeing a faded marking on the small construct.

'Dedicated to the Protector of the Forest'

Somehow, even Pokemon could tell this was a special spot. The silence in that clearing was almost eerie. I sat down in front of the shrine, asking Vulpix to sit next to me. I put my finger over my lips, signaling to her to be silent for a moment. I clasped my hands together, and closed my eyes.

'Please', I thought, 'let my friends be safe'.

As soon as my prayer was done, a soft wind blew through the clearing, as if confirming my plea. I got up, and took Vulpix in my arms. It was in that moment, that I saw the Protector appear before me. It was a small, green Pokemon, with large round eyes, and wings like a fairy. I stood perfectly still, not knowing what would happen if I made any sudden movements. The Pokemon flew up close to me, reaching out with its arm to touch me on the forehead.

I felt something flow through my body, and my vision went colorless for a moment, before it got too blurry to make out. Yet, I wasn't afraid. There was a soft, gentle voice echoing inside me the entire time.

'Don't be afraid', it said. I closed my eyes, and let the Pokemon work its magic.

~o~

I felt a cool wind surround me, and when I finally opened my eyes, I was back in that cave. Everything looked strangely out of focus, and black and white. The only thing that was in color was the Pokemon, who fluttered around in front of me. Vulpix was still in my arms, looking around at everything. She opened her mouth to bark, but no sound came out. I tried to talk as well, but I couldn't hear anything either.

"Help!" I heard my own scream. Just ahead, I saw the lake, and myself drowning in it. I walked forward, perplexed at what I was seeing.

"Look! There's a kid drowning over there!" Nearby, I saw the two grunts from Azalea Town, the ones I battled in the well.

"I'm going in!" The grunt who owned the Arbok took off his uniform jacket, and leapt into the water. By then, I had already disappeared under the surface, no doubt the point when I lost consciousness. The grunt swam over to me, and dove under. A few seconds later, he came up, with me in his arms. The entire experience was bizarre, to say the least. Like a dream where you can see yourself, rather than be yourself..

"She alive?" The other grunt didn't seem to care either way, from what I could see. Considering I was some form of ghost, I walked up closer, so that I could examine their expressions.

"She's not breathing!" The friendlier grunt started massaging my chest, trying to force the water out of me. After blowing some air into my mouth, I saw myself cough up a great deal of water. I didn't stay conscious after, but I was alive. The friendly grunt was finally able to relax.

"She has Pokemon, take her belt." The friendly grunt looked up to the other, amazed at the order.

"Are you crazy? She nearly died!" He protested in my defense.

"She's not much of a trainer if she nearly took her Pokemon with her. Take the belt, or I will." The mean grunt ordered.

The friendly grunt sighed, gently undoing the belt on my body. He handed it to his partner. He checked each of the four Pokeballs one by one.

"Three of them are taken, fourth is empty. If that Onix was hers, it's long gone now in that lake. Come on, we have to get back to town."

"And what about her? We just gonna leave her here?" The friendly pointed at my unconscious body.

"She's alive, right? Not our problem." The mean grunt left, but the other one didn't move from my side. He took his jacket wrapped me in it, trying to keep my body warm. He picked me up and followed the mean grunt.

"What are you doing?" The mean grunt pointed at me.

"I'm taking her back to town. I won't leave her behind." The mean grunt threw his arms into the air.

"Fine, you carry her yourself."

"She's not heavy, so no problem."

As the two grunts left the cave, I looked over to the lake, spotting a Pokeball floating about on the lake's surface. Kurt and the people of Azalea said there was nothing there when they checked, so someone else had picked it up. The Pokemon flew over the lake to the Pokeball, pointing at it and looking at me. I nodded, and it touched the item. The area around the Pokeball went in and out of focus, like a ripple in water.

The next thing I saw, the Pokeball was fished out of the lake by a small blue Pokemon, one I recognized. The Tododile handed the Pokeball to its trainer, the red haired boy I had seen in the Sprout Tower. He shook the Pokeball, making sure there was something inside. After, he threw the ball into the lake again, releasing Lapras. My Pokemon saw the unfamiliar trainer, then searched around for me.

"Your trainer is gone," the boy said, catching Lapras's attention. "I'm your master now."

Lapras cried out at the trainer, turning away from him. Rather than seem hurt or offended, the young man laughed at Lapras.

"You'll get used to me eventually. Now, back in your Pokeball!" He forced Lapras back into the Pokeball, attaching it to his belt. The Tododile clapped its hands, happy it had a new Pokemon friend. The trainer shut him up by slapping it across the head. The sight shocked me. After Tododile was back in his Pokeball, the trainer left in the opposite direction of the grunts.

After another ripple effect, I was outside the cave, on the outskirts of Azalea Town. The two grunts emerged from the cave, one of them with me in his arms. The mean grunt called for the other two, and told them to find someone in town. In the meantime, he ordered the nice grunt to put me down and hand him my bag. He followed orders, but wasn't happy about it.

The grunt went digging through my bag, making a mess of everything inside and throwing anything that wasn't of value on the floor. After some scouring, he only found the Master Ball, though the box with my bike was tempting him. He threw the empty bag at the friendly grunt.

"Put everything else back inside. This Pokeball looks special, but I've never seen anything like it."

"Maybe she just painted it," said the other grunt, as he packed away my stuff. "Is it empty?"

"Yeah. I'll hold onto it, ask the exec later."

At this point, the two grunts returned, with Kurt following close behind. The older man ran over to me, checking to make sure I was okay before exploding at the mean one.

"I won't stand for this! Now you're pummeling children on the road to keep your secret!?"

"Calm down, old man, or I'll have my Pokemon rip you to pieces. He saved the kid from drowning, so be grateful we decided to help." He said 'we', but he wouldn't have cared either way had I drowned.

"I performed CPR. She's alive, just out cold. Can you make sure she stays warm?" The nice grunt handed Kurt my bag, followed by my body.

"I'll do what I can, though having the good nurse around would've been much better." Kurt insisted. The mean grunt didn't take kindly to the suggestion.

"Just shut up and do what you can, old man. When the kid comes to, let her know the fee for our help was her Pokemon." The mean grunt dangled the belt in front of Kurt, taunting him further. With me in his arms, though, Kurt couldn't do anything.

"You people are the lowest-"

"Save it, old man. And one more thing," he said, showing Kurt the Master Ball. "This a special Pokeball?"

Kurt took the ball in his hands, examining it closely. Other than the fact the ball was purple, and had a small letter M etched into it, there was nothing particularly special about it.

"Could be custom made, but other than that, no. It's not hand made, either; this was made in a factory." Kurt handed the Master Ball back to the grunt.

"A trinket to take back home, then. Back to work, everyone!"

The grunts returned to town, heading for the well. Kurt stood outside the cave for a moment, taking off his coat to wrap me in it. At that same time, I saw Vulpix and Primeape emerge from the cave. Kurt shielded me from the Pokemon, but quickly saw they weren't wild when Vulpix started scratching gently at Kurt's leg. He kneeled before the Pokemon, and Vulpix started poking her nose at me, trying to wake me up.

"You two must be hers, right?" Vulpix licked my face, while Primeape stood fast at my side. Kurt got up, making sure the grunts were all out of sight.

"Be quiet, and follow me."

~o~

After my next blink, I was back in the middle of the forest clearing. Vulpix started barking, and I knew the dream was over. The Pokemon just hovered in front of me, awaiting my response. Before it all began, I had prayed that my friends be safe, and it showed me just what had happened to them. It wasn't the answers I wanted, but at least I finally knew where Lapras was. I'd just have to find that red haired trainer again.

"Thank you," I told the Pokemon, "For showing me that."

But that wasn't everything the Pokemon wanted. Another wind blew through the small clearing, but where the first one was comforting, this one was cold and uninviting. I instinctively clutched my arms to shield myself from the sudden chill in the air. The green Pokemon hovered close to my face, and reached out to touch me on the forehead again.

'You must help me', said the soft voice in my head.

I closed my eyes again, and felt the Pokemon lift me into the air once again.

~o~

When I opened my eyes again, I was still in the same clearing as before. However, there was something different about it all. It was gray, and slightly out of focus like before. I thought the Pokemon was showing me a different point in the forest's time, until I saw someone enter the clearing. It was me!

I looked exactly the same as I did now, with Vulpix at my side and everything. I saw myself (weird to describe this) look at the shrine, which only now I noticed was slightly off. While the shrine in my time was worn down and old, this one was charred, as if it had caught fire at some point in time.

"Dedicated to the Protector of the Forest," my other self made out from the remains of the shrine. "Guess time wasn't very good to the forest."

Vulpix barked a couple times at the shrine, then looked up at the other me.

"No point staying here, girl." The other me said. She started walking away from the shrine, when she suddenly stopped altogether. "Actually, what's the point?"

Vulpix looked up at the other me. She dropped to her knees, and let her arms fall limp at her sides. I felt my own heart race a bit as I saw this happen. Vulpix tried to comfort the other me, but she didn't respond.

"It's my fault," she said. "My Pokemon are gone, and it's all my fault. I don't deserve to be a trainer; I don't even deserve to keep you."

The other me looked to Vulpix, who took a step back in fear. The other me took Primeape's Pokeball, and released the critter within. Once out and about, Primeape looked around for something to fight, but saw only Vulpix and the other me.

"Go," she said, a blankness in her eyes. "I don't want you anymore."

My own heart raced as I saw the look of confusion turn to utter fear in both Primeape and Vulpix's eyes. Primeape took a step closer to the other me, but she suddenly sprung to life and snapped at the fuzzy Pokemon.

"I said go!" She screamed, which echoed throughout the forest. "I don't want you anymore! I don't ever want to see either of you ever again!"

The forest remained silent after the echoes dissipated. Primeape and Vulpix stood before the other me, but didn't leave her side. How could they? They knew no other life outside my company. Primeape might've started as a wild Pokemon, but he had long since abandoned his feral ways. Going back now was foreign to him. As for Vulpix, the thought of being separated from me...

I clutched at my own chest. This was too much to bear. I looked at the green Pokemon floating nearby. Once it took notice of my gaze, it touched my forehead.

The vision faded in another ripple effect. Now, I was back in my own room in Pallet Town. Still, the monochrome color scheme and slight blur were in effect. I saw the other me sitting on the bed, practically motionless. Like a life-sized doll. A door opened from behind where I was standing; it was Mom.

"Star? Sweetie?" She walked over to the bedside. I noticed her eyes were red, and she had bags under them. There were also dried tear stains on her cheeks.

The other me didn't say a word. Mom reached for the plate of untouched food that was resting on the nightstand next to the bed.

"Star, you haven't eaten anything," Mom said. Still, the other me said nothing. She just sat there, hardly breathing. Mom put the plate back on the nightstand, and sat on the bed next to the motionless girl.

"Star, please," she said, fresh tears pouring down her face. "Baby, just tell me what's wrong!"

She hugged the girl on the bed, but the girl didn't even react. Whoever she once was, that person was gone. All that was left was the living body, and nothing more. I watched as Mom continued to beg and plead for the girl to say something; to say anything.

It was then that the green Pokemon hovered in front of me again. It touched my forehead once more.

'This is what will come to pass', said the voice in my mind, 'If you cannot help me.'

~o~

One more ripple effect. One more bit of time travel. Or was this the first real time?

I was back in the forest clearing. This time, rather than everything be gray and blurry, it was clear as day. However, I noticed a slight dullness in the colors around me. This wasn't the same time period as my own, which I confirmed by looking at the shrine. It was practically brand new now. Vulpix barked, and I actually managed to hear her. Whenever we were, we weren't just 'ghosts' this time.

The green Pokemon appeared before me. Unlike Vulpix and I, it was still transparent, like a ghost. Had it dropped us off to do what it wanted us to, and just leave?

"What do I do?" I asked it. The Pokemon touched my forehead again.

'Prevent the fire', I heard it say in my mind. I guessed it was talking about what would happen to the shrine in the alternate future where I...

I took my mind off that for now.

'Do not be seen', the Pokemon added, 'else a worse fate will befall you'.

With that, the Pokemon vanished into thin air. Before I could even begin to ponder what it meant, I heard the rustling of leaves behind me. Without thinking, I swept up Vulpix in my arms and ran towards the shrine. It was the only thing in the clearing I could use as cover, and I wasn't about to ignore the warning the time-traveling Pokemon had given me. After a few moments, a figure walked into the clearing.

My heart almost stopped. Time had been kind to the man in the black fedora, it seemed. Then again, I didn't even know how far back the Pokemon had sent me. But I recognized the man without a doubt. It was none other than Giovanni.

He took a step towards the shrine. I didn't move, afraid that if he sensed any movement he'd try to flush me out from behind the shrine with one of his Pokemon. Before he could get any closer, there was more rustling from a different direction. Giovanni's gaze diverted, I moved from behind the shrine to behind a tree just a skip away. The rustling stopped, and another figure stepped into the clearing.

"It's you." Giovanni's voice was as deep and menacing as always. The figure stepped into the light, and I knew instantly who it was, as well.

"We meet again," said a much younger Professor Oak. If I had to guess, I'd say he was about ten or so years younger. Probably more, since the wrinkles on his face were gone and his hair wasn't gray.

"You've come to stop me, then?" Giovanni pulled a Pokeball from his coat pocket. Oak didn't budge.

"I can't let you capture such a powerful Pokemon. Mankind wasn't meant to have such control."

"With the power of time travel at our disposal, we would be as gods. You fashioned this very Pokeball for this very reason. You'd turn away now?" I couldn't believe my ears. It was Professor Oak's idea to capture the Pokemon?

"I've come to my senses, Giovanni. And now, I'm sorry I ever came to you with this proposition. Give me the Pokeball." Oak extended his hand, requesting the device in Giovanni's possession.

"If you want out, Oak, then leave. I'm capturing the Pokemon."

"I'd hoped it wouldn't come to this." Professor Oak released a Pokemon so quickly, I didn't even see him drop the Pokeball on the ground.

Out came a Charizard, its orange skin a stark contrast to the green around him. Giovanni fumbled to release his own critter, but Oak wasn't looking to pick a fight. Charizard turned his sights on the shrine, and sprayed the entire area around it with flames. Giovanni gave up on the Pokeball, and looked upon the sight in awe. He turned back to Oak.

"You would destroy any hope of ever seeing the Pokemon again than let me have it?" Rather than seeming angry, Giovanni sounded almost pleased.

"Much as it pains me," Oak said calmly.

"Then this is of no use to either of us anymore." Giovanni dropped the Pokeball onto the ground, and crushed it underneath the sole of his shoe. Without saying another word, he turned around and left the clearing the way he came.

Oak turned to the fire he started, but chose not to stop it. No doubt he knew Giovanni would only return if he did. The power to control time was too tempting to pass up, and this was the only way he knew to stop it from ever being misused. Once Oak left the clearing as well, I got to work myself.

There was a small ravine just behind the shrine. I quickly emptied the contents of my bag, and threw the empty thing into the ravine. It wasn't the most effective way to gather water, but it was all I had at my disposal. I slung the dripping bag over the shrine, covering the wooden monument in water. Without wasting any time, I ran back to the ravine, dunked the bag again, and splashed the shrine again. Once it was thoroughly soaked, I got to work quelling the fire around it.

Fortunately, I didn't have to do everything myself. After a few moments, residents of Azalea Town appeared in the clearing. I was back by the ravine when they appeared, so I wasn't seen by anyone. One of them released a Wartortle, and quickly put out the rest of the fires. Once the danger was averted, one of the men walked over to the shrine to assess the damage.

"You're not going to believe this," he said to the others. "The shrine's fine!"

"What? You mean it didn't catch fire?"

"No. Matter of fact, it's soaked! Don't know how that happened, but it probably prevented it burning. A miracle, I guess."

I let out a sigh. The next thing I noticed was the same ripple effect that brought me here in the first place.

~o~

I was back in front of the shrine. The colors around me were back to normal. This was my time. The green Pokemon hovered before me for a moment, then touched my forehead again.

'You were always meant to save the shrine', it said to me, 'that was your reason for being here'.

"Does that mean you knew I'd lose my Pokemon on the way here? What if I had fought Giovanni and beat him in the past?" I asked through my mind.

'You would have disrupted the flow of history', it said softly, 'and it would have cost you your life'.

The Pokemon backed away from me. It was a stupid thought, and I knew it. Still, I had to ask. It showed me what would happen if I failed to save the shrine, even though that was never 'meant' to happen. Perhaps the Pokemon could see anything that was meant to happen, or would happen, or did happen. I couldn't begin to wrap my head around it all.

But one thing was for certain: the fact that I saw what could've become of me, meant I wouldn't fall to despair like that. The Pokemon realized this, and bid farewell before it rose into the sky. Remembering the Professor at this critical moment, I dug around in my magically dry bag for my Pokedex. I managed to scan the critter just before it vanished into the sky.

"Celebi, the Time Travel Pokemon. This Pokemon wanders across time. Grass and trees flourish in the forests in which it has appeared."

"Celebi? Thank you, for everything." I said into the sky.

~o~

The rustles and sounds from the forest were actually quite welcome after I left the clearing where the shrine was. All sorts of Pokemon, both familiar and not surrounded me. Vulpix was on edge, as usual, trying to keep up with all the sights, smells and sounds around us. I stopped after a while, reaching into my bag for a Pokeball. It was time to make good on that resolution from earlier. As if to make it all easier for me, a small green bug crossed my path. I reached for my Pokedex, and scanned the little critter.

"Spinarak, the String Spit Pokemon. It spins a web using fine-but durable-thread. It then waits patiently for prey to be trapped."

Right after the Pokedex finished talking, the Spinarak backed off, turning around to aim its rear end at us. A spray of white string shot out, but I managed to dodge the attack just in time. Vulpix barked at the Pokemon, running ahead without my orders.

"Vulpix, watch out!"

The small bug redirected its spray, covering her in the white material within seconds. Immobilized, the bug started crawling towards her.

"Vulpix, use Ember!"

As Spinarak got closer, it noticed the white string burst into flames, and Vulpix emerged from the ashes. Panicking, the bug turned around again, preparing another spray of sticky string.

"Quick Attack!"

Vulpix vanished just as the string escaped Spinarak, reappearing right in front of the Pokemon's face, and sending it flying into a patch of the string it just shot out. Entangled in its own trap, I took the chance and threw the Pokeball in my hands at it. The critter was absorbed into the ball for only a moment, before it burst open again. The Pokeball rolled back in my direction, while Spinarak was free of the sticky substance.

"Vulpix, Quick Attack again!"

Vulpix moved forward, disappearing for a moment. The bug didn't move, just staying place until Vulpix reappeared right in front of it. It bumped heads with Vulpix, pushing her back slightly, but still sending him flying against a tree. Vulpix started whimpering, scratching at her head where Spinarak's small stinger had hit her. Surprisingly, the Pokemon was still able to get up after that attack.

"Vulpix, are you okay?"

She barked, convincing me she still had some energy left. The small bug ran at full speed towards her, going all out now. I had been trying to avoid this, but it just didn't seem to be going down any other way.

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

The fox took a few steps back, putting some distance between it and the rushing bug. She opened her mouth, letting loose a torrent of flames. I heard a small screech, and quickly ordered the attack cut off. After the fire had turned to smoke, I saw the small bug on the ground, burnt nearly to a crisp. The Pokeball was too far to make a run for, so I reached into my bag for another, pulling out the Friend Ball. I hurled it at Spinarak, trapping the critter inside. It shook a few times as the Pokemon tried to escape, but it eventually died down.

After collecting the spare Pokeball, and retrieving Spinarak, I tended to Vulpix's wound with my last Potion. Spinarak was a start to rebuilding my collection of friends, and this time I wouldn't allow Team Rocket to make off with them. I swore to this before I left the Ilex Forest.

I would not allow that vision Celebi showed me come true.


	29. The World's Cutest Trainer

The World's Cutest Trainer, Chapter 29

It was always a fun sensation to walk right into a new town, especially one as large as Goldenrod City. Like Celadon and Saffron in Kanto, the amount of tall buildings made me feel like a Weedle in a kid's model city. All around me, people rushed from one place to another, and large TV screens covered the sides of buildings. Commercials for Pokemon merchandise, advertisements for the city's famous shopping mall; I even saw a commercial for Fold-Abel's Bicycles, featuring an annoying grin of a desperate bike salesmen I met long ago.

Fortunately, Goldenrod knew how to keep its visitors and citizens feeling right at home with a large main street. Signs at every intersection informed you of anywhere you'd want to go, right underneath the multitude of advertisements. After a few minutes of searching, I found the Pokemon Center, just off main street. Normally one of the larger buildings in any city, here it was the smallest one in the area. Still one of the most frequented.

Inside, unlike every other center I had ever seen, dozens, if not hundreds, of people were just lounging about, their Pokemon in plain view and interacting with one another. I noticed most of them were smaller, cuter critters, like Jigglypuff, even a few Clefairy alongside Hoppips and Mareep. It made me feel special to be the only trainer in the center with a Vulpix, and it also made me the center of attention for a moment.

"A Vulpix! How cute!" Said one girl, kneeling down to pet her.

"Is she going to enter the contest?" Said another, taking a brush from her bag and tending to the fox's fur.

"Why doesn't she have any accessories?" Added yet another girl, with a frilly bow ready in one hand.

"I know! She could totally blow away the competition with a few ribbons, maybe even a nice dress!"

"Please," I said, picking up my Pokemon before she was swallowed up by the crowd. "I can't answer everyone!"

"You really should have her join the contest!" Said one of the girls around me, but I couldn't tell which one.

"Yeah! I'm sure Whitney would love to meet you!"

"Just follow us, and we'll take you to her!" One of the girls grabbed me by the wrist, while two others started pushing me through the crowd and back out the center. I was actually trying to reach the computer on the other end, so that I could retrieve my Pokemon, but there was just no way to break free from this group. As we arrived at the entrance, the doors swung open, and I saw a familiar face on the other side.

"Star? Is that you?" It was Bill!

"Bill! Help me!" I cried out.

"Excuse us, please!" The girls pushed Bill off to a side, and continued to drag me away from the center. I looked back, seeing Bill give chase, but not exactly able to break through the wall of girls surrounding me.

"Ladies, I'd like to have a word with the little one in the middle?" The entire herd stopped, and collectively turned their heads towards Bill. He took a step back for safety.

"Who are you?" One of them asked, only to be followed by a collective "Yeah?"

"I-I'm Bill, the creator of the Pokemon Storage System."

"Oh, that's good for you. Now, we have to be going." The herd started moving again, forcing me along for the ride. Bill followed closely, but didn't try to convince the girls a second time.

The group made their way down main street, eventually making a turn and entering a large, pink building. Inside, the walls were lined with stalls, people working behind them on Pokemon with scissors and brushes. It was like a beauty salon and spa in one, for Pokemon! The group at this point yanked Vulpix out of my arms, and carried her to one of the empty booths. Though she was barking out and trying to get back to me, I let the girls make off with her. Not like they were going to hurt her, and it finally gave me a chance to talk with Bill.

"Sorry I couldn't stop them," he said, scratching the back of his head.

"It's okay, I think they were more interested in Vulpix anyway. What is this place?" I took another quick look around, mostly to admire the set up they had here.

"One of the growing number of Pokemon Salons here in Goldenrod. Since the new gym leader took over, the city's been choked by Pokemon fashion." I took another glance at Vulpix, who was being strapped down by the girls in a chair as the stylist prepared his tools.

"They won't... hurt her, will they?"

"They're beauticians, Star. The worst harm they can do to Vulpix is groom her in an unflattering way. And I think it'd be almost as painful to them as to Vulpix." With Vulpix now tied down completely, the stylist took a brush and got right to work on the patch of fur between Vulpix's ears.

"So who's this new gym leader?" I asked, looking away from the misery that was Vulpix getting properly groomed.

"Her name is Whitney. The league appointed her the gym after the last leader retired. Her specialty is the normal type, so she could be a difficult challenge without the proper advantages."

"Reminds me, I need to get my Pokemon out of the box. I ran into some trouble over in Azalea, you see."

I gave Bill the short version of what happened, making sure to exclude details about my encounter in Ilex Forest with Celebi. Though Celebi didn't say anything, I had a feeling I should keep that part to myself. Somehow, I didn't think he'd believe me, either.

"I'm so sorry to hear that, Star," Bill said, giving me an encouraging pat on the shoulder. "Team Rocket isn't allowed access to the system, though if they were, there'd probably be a good chance of finding them."

"It's okay. I've already gotten some help with all that." Again, from someone I just couldn't share information about. What mattered was I doing well again. "So, when can I take my other critters out of the system?"

"Well, so you don't leave your Vulpix here alone, I can pick them up for you! I'd much rather stay out of my parents' house as long as possible."

With Bill being a good friend and errand boy, I sat down near Vulpix, watching as the stylist worked his magic on Vulpix. I have to admit, I was amazed at how he was able to brush away all those darker patches of fur all over her body. In essence, aside from the large, frilly pink bow on her head, she looked brand new, like the day I first met her! Once she was freed, she ran over to me, keeping close to my chest while she attacked the ribbon on her head.

"I'm back, everyone! So, what's new today?"

The voice boomed throughout the salon, and came from a girl with pigtails and a single barrette in her hair. Instantly, the crowd of girls flocked to her side, their Pokemon covered in all sorts of accessories in their arms. Curious, I carried Vulpix towards the crowd, which instantly drew the attention of the girl in the center. She pushed through the waves of Clefairy and Jigglypuff to stand before me.

"Well, this is certainly a cute little Vulpix," she said, reaching down to pet her. Vulpix growled a little, already tired of being touched by nearly everyone in the salon. "Not so cute when she's angry."

"She's just not used to being petted so much," I said in Vulpix's defense. The little fox continued to growl at the older girl.

"Well, that just won't do if you're planning on getting into the Pokemon Contests. They begin next month in the Hoenn region, you know, so best get her trained."

"Actually, I've never heard of the contests," I said, which drew a wave of gasps from the girls behind the pig-tailed one.

"Then why are you down here?" She looked at me quizzically.

"Well, your friends there forced me down here. I was actually on my way to the gym before they dragged me here."

"Oh? So you're a trainer? So am I! I'm Whitney," she said, offering her hand for the first time.

"So you're the gym leader? I heard from my friend," I said, shaking Whitney's hand.

"Yeah, the Pokemon League gave me the job out of the blue. Guess they just couldn't resist my charm, right?" Whitney winked at me, showing off that charm she mentioned. I didn't quite get it, but I could almost see why many people would gather around her. She kind of reminded me of Gary Oak, if Gary cared more about making Pokemon pretty than battling.

"So, is it okay if I challenge you to a Pokemon battle?" Whitney's cute expression melted away.

"Now? Well, I don't know, it's getting late, and the gym is on the other side of town..."

"What are you talking about Whitney? The gym's right across the street!" The sudden truth caught Whitney off guard, and she turned around to glare at the crowd.

"Well, if you don't want to battle today, we can do it tomorrow, then. Whatever you want." Taking care of the battle that same day would've been best, but I was a bit tired from the trip, anyway. As if to contradict me, Whitney turned around, producing a Pokeball from her pocket.

"That just won't do! A challenge has to be answered right away! League rules, ya know!"

"Okay, so I'll meet you at the gym? I'm still waiting for my friend to come back from the Pokemon Center." Again, as if to go against me, Whitney shook her head.

"You challenged me, so the battle will begin when I say so! Come along!"

She grabbed me by the wrist, dragging me out of the salon. Outside, I had the pleasure of running into Bill again, and he had the pleasure of watching me get dragged away again. It was like I was just some toy for everyone to drag around at their pleasure.

~o~

Whitney's gym, very much unlike the others, was actually washed white. I mean, completely devoid of any color save for a slight pink that marked the arena bounds on the ground. There were plenty of flowerbeds, but for someone so taken in with fashion, I expected more... well, fashion. As was par for the course, Whitney took her position on the other end of the arena, while the crowd of girls from the salon lined the edges on the left and right. Bill took a seat behind me after handing me my other Pokemon.

"Alright, um... what's your name?" She asked me.

"I'm Star," I called out to her.

"Star! Okay, pick your first Pokemon!" I shuffled through my bag, not sure who to choose, when something hit me.

"What are the rules for the battle?" I asked. Whitney just stood there, dumbfounded.

"Huh? Rules?"

"Yeah, you're the gym leader, right? You're supposed to make the rules for the battle." I couldn't believe I was the one telling her these things.

"Oh, right! Yeah...! Right, the rules are..." Whitney trailed off, looking to the crowd on either side of the arena. Chances were none of them were actual trainers, so they weren't much help. After a moment of thinking, Whitney finally came up with something.

"Okay, we'll do two on two! And no cheating!" Whitney released her first Pokemon, a Clefairy. It came as no surprise, seeing as how just about every girl in the room had one. Myself, too, now that my own Clefairy was with me again. Since the normal type's greatest weakness was fighting, I called on Primeape, as usual.

"Yuck! You carry around such an ugly Pokemon?" Whitney's comment really left me stunned.

"Primeape's been with me since I started my journey. Being a trainer's not all about which Pokemon is cutest." Now I couldn't believe I was the one lecturing her about being a trainer!

"Doesn't hurt to stick to just cute Pokemon, though. Alright, whatever. Clefairy, Sing!"

"Primeape, don't listen! Cover your ears!"

The large ape shielded his pointy ears, preventing Clefairy's song from lulling him to sleep. I let out a large yawn myself, but snapped out of it quickly enough to order the next attack.

"Primeape, Karate Chop!"

He ran towards Clefairy, who tried to make a run for it, but could hardly move as Primeape sent the small critter flying into the air with his hand. Whitney shrieked at the sight of her Pokemon getting tossed around like that, and immediately returned it to her Pokeball. It was almost too easy.

"You like picking on weaker people, don't you!?" She snapped at me.

"Um, no..." I said, confused. Whitney could clearly see I was the smallest girl in the gym, so if anything, I knew what it was like to be picked on.

"Fine, if you want a real battle, I'll give you one!" Whitney threw out another Pokeball, this time releasing a larger, fatter Pokemon. I didn't know exactly what it was, so I took out my Pokedex and aimed it at the critter.

"Miltank, the Milk Cow Pokemon. Its milk is packed with nutrition, making it the ultimate beverage for the sick or weary."

"Doesn't look very mean," I said, tilting my head at the cow. "It's actually pretty cute, in a way."

"Don't underestimate it, Star," said Bill, who was still sitting on the floor behind me. "I heard they're related to Tauros, and can be pretty hard headed."

"It's still a normal type, right? Primeape, Karate Chop!"

"Miltank, Attract!"

Primeape went running towards the large Pokemon, only to have Miltank stop it in its tracks with a hug! The cow gave a large kiss to Primeape, which left him wobbly and a bit dazed. Primeape dropped to his knees, and just stared at Miltank.

"Primeape? What are you doing?" I called out to my Pokemon, who just wobbled to and from in front of Miltank.

"The power of love conquers all! Miltank, Tackle!"

The large cow rammed into Primeape after a short wind up, sending him reeling back.

"Primeape, use Low Kick!"

"Miltank, Tackle him again!"

Primeape got up slowly, but once his eyes landed on the cow, he just stood there, staring blankly at the other Pokemon as it rammed into him again. Whitney started laughing, while I started panicking.

"Primeape, snap out of it!"

"One more time, Miltank!"

Taking direct body blows from that large cow wasn't easy, and already Primeape was having trouble getting up. Before he could be back on his feet entirely, Miltank slammed into him again, knocking him out completely this time. Whitney started cheering herself on, and the girls around us followed suit.

"This is too easy! Come on, pick your next Pokemon!" She certainly was a completely different person when she was having her way. I called back Primeape, and looked down at Vulpix. She could probably hold her own against Miltank, but I thought it was time to have my newest critter join the fight. I reached for his Pokeball, and released Spinarak.

"Eww! You use BUG Pokemon? Gross!" Whitney's remark was echoed a few times by some of the other girls around us, which seemed to put a damper on Spinarak's mood. I leaned down and pet him on the back.

"Don't worry, we'll show them," I said, encouraging the small bug to step forward. Miltank towered over the small critter, and a single stomp would end the battle. Whitney saw it too.

"Miltank, Stomp!"

"Spinarak, String Shot!"

The small spider scurried past Miltank, shooting its web at the large cow's legs. The sticky material held the cow in place for a moment, allowing me to get in another attack.

"Now, Poison Sting!"

He crawled up to Miltank, driving his stinger right into the cow's leg. The Pokemon let out a loud moo, feeling the pain and poison spread throughout her body.

"Miltank, Rollout!"

The normally bipedal cow got down on all fours, breaking out of the sticky web and rolling up into a compact ball. Like a tire revving up, she made a screeching noise on the ground before shooting forward, crashing right into Spinarak and sending him flying into the air. He managed to land perfectly, but was already looking pretty beat down. Wasn't easy taking a hit from that large critter. The Miltank didn't uncurl, and turned right around for another pass at my little bug.

"Spinarak, use String Shot again!"

He spun around, releasing a large spray at the incoming Pokemon. It was slowing Miltank down, but the cow was still traveling at dangerous speeds. She sent Spinarak into the air again, but not as high as before. Another blow, no matter how weak, would probably be the end of him.

"Spinarak, don't stop! String Shot!"

Miltank came around for another pass, though she was traveling much slower now. Spinarak aimed his rear end at the larger Pokemon, and continued to spray it with the sticky substance. The cow came to a quick halt, and eventually was completely buried in the string. The large ball of white material shook about for a moment, like a Pokemon trying to break out of a Pokeball. After a moment, Miltank's head emerged from the mass of string, letting out a long moo.

"Spinarak, Leech Life!"

"Miltank, break out of there!"

The cow tried to push through the sticky ball, but wasn't able to escape before Spinarak climbed up next to her head. He spread open those two sharp fangs, and lodged them directly into Miltank's neck, draining away the cow's energy. The Pokemon let out several long and sad moos as it grew weaker and weaker. By the time Spinarak let go, he was back to normal, and ready to deliver the final blow.

"Finish it off with one more Poison Sting!"

The small spider aimed carefully, driving his stinger right into the back of Miltank's head. The cow cried out one final time, then just fell silent. Whitney couldn't believe her eyes. Victorious, I started cheering for myself, hoping the other girls would join me. After a moment, I started to wonder if they were just kissing up to Whitney, when I noticed that they were all rushing to her side.

Whitney had dropped to her knees, and was outright bawling on the other end of the gym. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I called back Spinarak, and looked over to Bill, who was just as shocked as I was.

"Well, now that's certainly a first," he said, not sure how to react properly to that. Gym leaders were, after all, the best trainers around the land, the ones responsible for teaching other trainers important values about Pokemon and responsibility. Yet, there was Whitney, crying her eyes out because she lost.

"Star, maybe you should go over and, I don't know, apologize?"

"Me? For what? I won, fair and square!" I screamed back, sounding at least half my age when I did.

"Star, do you realize what you just said? Just go and apologize; be the grown-up here. You still have to collect your badge, anyway." Bill had a point, and I quickly realized what a mistake it had been to say what I had so hastily.

I walked across the arena, stopping along the way to free Miltank a bit from the mass of web she was trapped in. The girls from the salon were all huddled around Whitney, trying to calm her down. At least she had stopped crying for the most part, now only fighting back the sobs. However, once she saw me, that took a turn for the worst.

"You!" She said, pointing a menacing finger at me. I raised my hands in surrender.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your Pokemon," I said, finding it particularly difficult to apologize for winning. Tears started to flow from her eyes again.

"You meanie! How could I lose to a little baby like you!?" Not only did I have to take Whitney's sore insults and bawls, but the harsh glares of the other girls around her. More than ever, I felt almost sorry for having won. Of course, it only took a few seconds to slap that feeling out of my mind. I had nothing to be sorry about! One of the girls in the group pulled me aside for a moment.

"Don't worry," said one of the other girls, looking almost as embarrassed as I'd be if I was caught crying in public like that. "Whitney just has to cry after every loss. Give her a minute to calm down, and don't mind anything she says."

Taking her advice, I just stood there, waiting until she finally got over it all. Between the sobs, I was called a few mean things, which made the other girls more than a bit uncomfortable around me. I didn't take anything Whitney said personally, though. Most of the insults were just a different way of calling me a baby, anyway. She wasn't very creative, though she probably wasn't trying to be. Once the tears were done, she got back on her feet, and wiped away the remains from her face.

"I want my badge," I said, not caring anymore for her childish tantrums. Whitney blushed a little, the shame of having broken down like that finally sinking in.

"Yeah, I'm sure you do," she said, digging into her pockets. She pulled out a badge, though it really just looked like a plain white stamp. "This is the Plainbadge."

"How fitting for the gym," I said, taking the trophy. I stuck it onto my trainer card, as was the routine.

"And, I'm sorry about everything I said. I was just a little mad at losing, is all." A little mad? She threw a tantrum for close to five minutes-

"It's okay," I said, forcing a smile at the girl. "I know you didn't mean any of it at all."

~o~

After taking our leave of the group of girls, I left the gym with Bill and Vulpix. She had finally managed to get rid of the bow the beauticians had stuck on her head, so I put it in my bag.

"So, Star," said Bill, now that we were outside the gym, "What now?"

"What do you mean?" I looked up at the night sky, seeing thousands of tiny stars sparkling.

"Well, you have the city's badge, you leaving tomorrow already?"

"No," I said, turning my gaze from the sky to Bill, "I think I'll stay here one more day, and enjoy the city. Of course, that's for tomorrow. Time for this little girl to get tucked in at the Pokemon Center!"

"Actually, why don't you come over and stay at my place?" I stopped in my tracks, turning to Bill.

"Really? Your folks wouldn't mind?"

"Actually, it'll save me a lot of trouble having a guest over. Force my parents to behave a bit better and not bother me as much. I'll even share my latest idea for an invention: a device to turn yourself into a Pokemon!"

I didn't say anything about that idea, finding it to be both quite cool and quite scary. Bill seemed to have already forgotten how he was turned into a Rattata not too long ago, or maybe that was his inspiration? I hugged Vulpix, who was trying to doze off in my arms. Just how cool would it be to turn into a Vulpix like her, and be able to talk with her?


	30. The League Tournament

The League Tournament, Chapter 30

I will, like I often do, spare you the details of what transpired in Bill's house. That isn't to say I stayed with him often, but every time I seemed to be invited to stay at someone's house, something would always turn up to make it either impossible, or just downright awkward. David's place in Fuchsia City may have been awkward before turning hostile, but Bill's... suffice it to say, I'm pretty sure he knows I won't ever be his guest again. Least, not in his parents' house.

Then again, I knew and understood the reason for his invitation. See, Bill wasn't exactly on the greatest terms with his folks. Not that they were estranged; far from it, just that the entire family had this air of eccentricity about them. And when two eccentrics are in close proximity, it's never a pretty sight. Such was the case at Bill's that night, where the eccentrics accounted for everyone there save me.

Bill's grandfather, according to him, was the inspiration for creating the Pokemon Storage System. His mother, on the other hand, claimed it was her idea to tie it all to the Pokeballs the trainers used. His sister said it was her idea to involve the Pokemon League, and thus make it all a legitimate affair that could also bring in money. Bill's position in all this? He has none, he just lets his family bicker amongst themselves as he cooks up more ideas.

Amidst the chaos, Bill told me that he always has to be working on improvements to the system, as other experts and nerds around the world are constantly striving to perfect his system. One of these, a woman named Lanette in the Hoenn region, is close to topping his system, meaning it'll be her name on the screens from now on.

"Not that I'm worried about it," said Bill, taking me to a slightly quieter part of the large house that night. "Doesn't matter who makes the system better now, I'm still credited as the creator."

"Wouldn't you want to try and make it better yourself?" I asked him. If it were my idea, I don't think I'd like others making it better and then just adding my name as a footnote in the fine print.

"Not really. There are other projects involving Pokemon and technology that require attention and creativity such as mine. It's actually why I'm here in Johto: I'm looking not only into the possibility of transforming people into Pokemon, but time travel!"

"Time travel?" I was no stranger to concept, having only just recently tasted it. Still, it was one thing to have a Pokemon with the ability, and another for people to have total control of the ability.

"Not for human use, but Pokemon use. Pokemon are constantly evolving, changing natures and adapting the ever-changing world around us. A time machine would allow trainers from the past to commune with us, and thus allow us to shed light on the mysteries surrounding Pokemon!"

"Okay..." Bill seemed to forget that I was ten years old, and a number of the things he and his family spouted were just gibberish to me.

"This'll be your room, Star," he finally said after getting his head out of the clouds. The room was rather plain, but it had the most essential thing: a bed.

"It used to be my sister's, but she won't be staying here tonight. Feel free to come downstairs to ask for anything, I doubt we'll be getting much sleep ourselves."

"Okay, thanks Bill! Goodnight!"

And Bill had a point. While I slept soundly throughout the night, I could hear the family downstairs debating something computer related as I drifted off that night. In the morning, they were still screaming, this time about allowing Pokemon to roam free on some island somewhere. Curious though I may be, I decided to not butt into anymore of their conversations, and slithered past them all on my way out. Bill was kind enough to see me off outside, before I saw him get dragged back inside the house to continue the debate.

~o~

Goldenrod City was much like Celadon the more I explored. I saw a Game Corner along the way, but went against entering. The last time I let myself into one of those, Team Rocket whisked me away and I was nearly left for dead in a storage closet. Among other things, I noticed quite a few people staring intently at the large TV screens outside, watching Pokemon battles take place. I also saw a number of other people with Pokegears glued to their ears, listening in on something.

"Excuse me," I asked a man with a Pokegear in a similar fashion, "What are you listening to?"

"The radio. You can get a Radio Card attachment for your gear at the Radio Tower."

The Radio Tower was possibly Goldenrod's star attraction. Since Kanto and Johto were so close together, unlike a few of the other regions, the two often shared many of the local technologies, one of them being radio. The Radio Tower in the city broadcast to the world over, or so I heard, but their biggest hit shows were the local stations, only available in Johto and a few in Kanto.

There was the Pokemon Music Station, hosted by DJ Ben, which played all sorts of melodies specifically catering to Pokemon. The Lucky Channel Station was another favorite, where they announce random trainer ID numbers, and give the lucky winner amazing prizes. It was like a lottery drawing, only without having to pay anything! But most famous of all was Professor Oak's Pokemon Talk, hosted by DJ Mary. This was the station you listened to your entire life if you wanted to be a Pokemon trainer.

Normally, you'd think a station that is all talk about Pokemon all day wouldn't do so well. However, it is the most widely listened to station in the region, because of the huge benefits it provides to trainers on the move. Pokemon are always moving around in swarms to different routes, and Professor Oak always informs trainers where to go to see them in person. Of course, because he has other duties, he rarely hosts the show himself, so that falls to DJ Mary, the most sincere voice you could ever hear in your life.

After I arrived at the tower, a simple meet and greet at the front desk earned me a Radio Card for free! As the lady put it, they were standard issue on all Pokegears, so any older models would get the attachment for free. That's customer service you can rely on! Before I could get right to hearing something on the radio, though, I noticed the rather large group of people watching the TV screen in the lobby of the tower. The same thing that was showing all over the city was on here, which was a Pokemon battle. This time, it was a Venusaur against a Pidgeot.

I looked around the lobby for a place to sit, and spotted an empty chair by a young man wearing a black hat. I sat down, keeping Vulpix on my lap as to not lose track of her in the crowd. On the screen, the Venusaur was taking a pounding from the much faster bird Pokemon, leading me to believe the trainer wasn't a very smart person to send a grass type against a flyer. I looked over to the person sitting beside me, noticing he had a Pokemon in his lap as well. It was an Abra.

"What is this?" I asked, pointing to the TV.

"League Tournament, all they're showing today." I turned my gaze back at the TV, watching as the Venusaur took the final blow from the Pidgeot. The trainer in the distance called the Pokemon back. A window came up on the screen, showing that Venusaur was the second Pokemon belonging to that trainer, as was Pidgeot for the opponent. I couldn't believe my eyes as to who the trainers were: Deneb and Gary!

"That's...! Deneb is fighting Gary?"

"Yeah, I think those are the trainers. It's the first round of the semi-finals, so not much more of this, thank god."

I ignored the young man next to me, and leaned in closer to try and hear the announcer. With the noise in the lobby, and the low volume setting on the TV, that was practically impossible. I saw as Deneb sent out his final Pokemon, a Magneton. Surprisingly, Gary didn't switch out Pidgeot. I got up from the chair and ran to the TV, pressing the volume up button until I could finally hear the announcer.

"-and Magneton's Sonic Boom just misses Pidgeot! The bird takes to the skies, unleashing a mighty Whirlwind that sends Magneton flying! For having a type advantage, this Pokemon doesn't look-"

"Hey, kid! Turn that down, will ya?" Someone yelled at me from the crowd.

"Please! That's my best friend on the screen!" The security guard in the lobby shook his head, pointing at the screen again. Rather than get in trouble, I reluctantly lowered the volume again, and sat down. I made sure to pout a little at the guard, for all the good it would do me. On the screen, I saw Magneton deliver a crippling Thundershock on Pidgeot.

"You friends with that Deneb on TV?" The young man asked me.

"Yeah, he's my boy-I mean, best friend," I corrected myself, though I could tell the teen caught on.

"I see. I'm Luke, by the way," he said, putting forth the Abra on his lap, "And this is Amy."

"Star, and Vulpix. I never gave her a nickname, couldn't pick one." Despite it being rather rude, I turned away to see how the match was going. Deneb's Magneton was now trying to outlast Gary's Exeggutor. The battle wasn't going well.

"You look like a Pokemon trainer, trying to follow your 'friend' into the League?" Luke asked, trying to divert my attention.

"Actually, I was supposed to enter with him, but decided not to. I didn't know they'd be on so quickly!"

"Past week, all that's been on TV. Rather annoying, I liked it better when cartoons were on. Amy likes them more than watching fights, you see."

"Are you a trainer, too?" Luke shook his head.

"I don't like to battle, I just try to help out where ever I can. Amy here has helped me out a bunch of times, too."

"I see, I was like that when I first started. But when you're on a journey, it's hard not to end up fighting with others." I glanced back at the screen, the stalemate between Magneton and Exeggutor still holding out.

"Maybe, but until now I've tried to stay out of them, to some degree of success, too. Of course, when you go looking for fights at gyms..." Luke's voice trailed off a bit, and I knew exactly what he was getting at. I was too preoccupied with the fight to start a debate, though.

"I'm sorry, I'm just too focused on the fight." Right as I said that, I watched as Exeggutor finished off Magneton, stomping the metal Pokemon into the ground with its large foot. The window popped up on the screen again, declaring Gary the winner after Magneton's icon was scratched out.

"Looks like your friend lost," Luke said, adjusting himself in the chair. "He has one more chance to stay in the game."

"What do you mean?"

"These are the semi-finals, so that means every match-up is determined best two out of three. This was the first between these two, so they'll have another fight later." Meaning I had a chance to talk with Deneb before he had to fight Gary again.

"Do you know if there's anyway of calling the battlers?" I wanted to wish Deneb the best of luck before he faced off against Gary again.

"I don't work for the League, Star, sorry."

"There's got to be a way. Maybe if I call into the League..." I turned on my Pokegear. The phone menu had a list of preloaded numbers, but it dawned on me that I didn't have any information on the League itself.

"I think that'd be pretty hard to do, considering. The League keeps the trainers under wraps on purpose, so that no trainer has an unfair advantage over another, see." For someone who didn't work for the League, or didn't like battling, he sure did seem to know a lot about the inner workings of Indigo Plateau.

"I wish I had told Deneb about the Pokegear before I left! I could've gotten his phone number if he had bought one for himself."

"I have a proposition, if you really want to talk to this Deneb." Luke piped up.

"Really? What is it?" Luke put his forehead to Amy's, and then handed me the small yellow critter. Vulpix jumped over to Luke's lap in return.

"Amy is willing to use Teleport to take you directly to Indigo Plateau. She knows her way back here, so just let her know when you want to come back."

"Really? Are you sure?" Luke nodded, but quickly raised his finger, indicating a but.

"You'll have to leave everything else behind. Amy isn't the strongest Abra in the world, so she won't be able to Teleport both you and all your stuff. You may want to leave your stuff with someone you trust." I took off my Pokeball belt and strapped it on Vulpix. I also gave her my bag, though it was clearly too much for her to carry.

"If it's okay, can I leave it all with you? You seem pretty nice, and Vulpix seems to like you. You're willing to trust me with Amy, so... can I trust you with my friends?" Luke gave me a gentle smile.

"And that's why Amy asked to help. Go on, Star. I'll be waiting right here."

I carried Amy out of the chair, and stood in front of the TV screen. It panned out to show the entire arena, and I pointed at it. Amy nodded, and I suddenly felt the pit of my stomach rise up. For a split second, I was floating in the air, before a bright flash forced me to close my eyes.

~o~

It was only a blink of the eye, but I was suddenly standing right in the middle of the arena. The crowds all around started yelling, pointing to the strange girl that had suddenly appeared in the middle of the stadium. Whistles went off collectively as referees dressed in black and white outfits ran towards me. Amy was still in my arms, and just sat there quietly. Within seconds, I was surrounded by people.

They all bombarded me with questions, demanding to know who I was, who I worked for, and what I was planning to do. Rather than give me a chance to answer, which would clear everything up, they escorted me off the field, leading to many confused spectators in the bleachers around the arena. Down the hallway, I saw both Gary and Deneb, each poking their heads out of their adjacent rooms to see what was going on. Once Deneb made out it was me, he stopped the referees.

"She's with me, guys! Thanks for leading her here!"

"Really? She just teleported into the arena with this Pokemon." The man pointed at Amy, who just slumped deeper into my arms.

"I know, I asked her to come as quickly as possible, and no faster way than by Abra, right?" Deneb wasn't doing much of a job convincing the men, so Gary came out of his room to back him up.

"Don't worry, guys. We aren't breaking any rules by letting Star here join us for a chat. I'll take full responsibility." I guess because Gary had won, or because of his assertive attitude, the referees started to warm up to the idea.

"Very well, Mr Oak, your call."

After the men left, Deneb showed me into his room, and Gary followed in, surprisingly. The door closed behind him, we all sat down around the table in the center, which was packed to the brim with all sorts of snacks and sweets. Of course, I couldn't resist but snack on a cookie while I was there!

"Star, just what are you doing here? And how did you get here with that Abra? No one's allowed into the arena unless you're a combatant!" Gary was about to ask the same question, but I made sure to answer it before any more popped up.

"Amy here isn't mine, I'm borrowing her. I just wanted to come here and wish you luck on your next fight! I saw you lose on the TV in Goldenrod City."

"So you didn't enter the tournament? I thought you were collecting the badges to get in?" Gary asked next. Deneb eyed Gary, wanting to know just how he knew I was on the badge hunt. I don't think I ever told him how I encountered Gary on my travels before.

"After getting the Earthbadge, I decided not to enter. I've been traveling Johto ever since." Gary looked pretty disappointed in my decision, as if the opportunity to battle me had been lost forever.

"So, you just came here to cheer me on?" I nodded at Deneb.

"Yeah! Amy here will take me back as soon as I have to go, but I can stay a little while longer to see your next fight!"

"Well, then I guess I should head back to my own room," said Gary, suddenly feeling left out. "I'll see you later, Deneb."

After Gary was out of the room, I sat Abra down on the couch seat next to me, and ran after him.

"Star? Where you going?"

"Sorry, Deneb, I have to say something to Gary. I'll be right back!" Just outside the door, I saw Gary standing in the middle of the hallway, pondering something instead of returning to his room. He instantly noticed me walk up to his side.

"So, you and Deneb...?" Guess he had caught on.

"I'm sorry, Gary, I never said anything before, because I wasn't exactly sure myself. It all happened in Viridian City, after we fought Giovanni. So I have to ask you, now: is there something you want to talk about?" Gary turned away, unable to look me in the eyes.

"No, not really."

"Really really?" Gary remained silent. I sighed, and turned my back on him.

"Star, wait." He said, just as I started walking away from him.

"Yes?" I turned around again, but he was still looking away.

"I... I'm sorry."

"About what?"

"I didn't know, you and Deneb. Guess I remember now, you two were always together. When I saw you that day, outside Mt Moon, I never said what I really wanted to say. I guess it's too late, now, right?"

"What are you talking about?" In truth, I was genuinely confused. It didn't help that Gary wasn't making much sense, and was talking in circles. He finally turned around, and I noticed something that shocked me so much I gasped. He was actually trying to fight back a blush.

"Are you... blushing?"

"What? No! I mean, yeah, well..." He stammered, finding it hard to say the right words. "What I meant to say was..."

"Yes?"

"I like you, Star. Since that day, I just, I couldn't say anything." At this point, I was the one flushed red.

"I thought I'd have all the time in the world, to be able to finally say something after the tournament. I never expected this." It was getting harder and harder for Gary to talk, so I decided to lift the burden off his shoulders. I leaned in close, and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"It's okay, Gary. I'm sure you'll find someone out there cool enough for you. And thank you, for telling me."

After that, I didn't speak with Gary again. Maybe it was too much for him, maybe it was too much for me. Was I really that pretty that two boys liked me? Well, my daydreaming aside, I went back into Deneb's room, where he was busy entertaining Amy. The small Pokemon was having her fill of the various snacks on the table, which snapped me right out of my daze.

"Deneb! Don't feed her anything!" Both him and the Pokemon dropped what was in their hands.

"What? Why not?"

"I don't know if she's allowed to eat anything! Luke was a nice enough guy, but I don't know if Amy is on some diet or something." I picked up Amy, who looked sadder than usual, probably at being denied the tasty human foods.

"I'm sorry. So, what is it you talked to Gary about?" The question alone caused me to blush, and Deneb noticed.

"Oh, nothing. Just never thanked him for something he did back when we ran across each other in Lavender Town. Nothing at all."

"Well, if you say so. I know I should be planning my strategies for the next match, but let's hear about your travels. Win or lose, it doesn't matter anymore."

~o~

We didn't get to talk for long, but I did share the better part of my Johto journey with Deneb, excluding some of the sadder details. He seemed genuinely happy with the story, almost sad himself for not going along with me. In fact, he even offered to join me on the road, if he should lose against Gary. Tempting though the offer was, I only had to remind him of what he told me back on Route 22, all that time ago. A Pokemon journey was a solo affair. So even though I would've loved nothing more than to travel alongside him, I had to do this on my own. This was my journey now, and I wanted it to remain as such. We'd have our shared time afterwards.

Of course, Deneb understood all this, and didn't force the issue. When the time came for him to participate in the next round, a referee came into the room to pick him up. I was going to follow him out into the field, to watch from the sidelines and cheer him on towards victory, but seeing Gary changed my mind. It wasn't fair to Gary, being all alone on the other end of the arena, especially considering how involved I was in the triangle amongst us. So, I told Deneb I wouldn't be staying for the match.

"What? Isn't that why you came here?"

"I'm sorry, but look at Gary. It just isn't fair that you have me to cheer you on, and he fights alone. Plus," I said, leaning in closer so he could hear me over the screams of the crowd, "this is something you have to do on your own, right?"

"You're really strange, Star. You know that?" I smiled at him, choosing not to part with a kiss. Again, it just wasn't fair to Gary.

"Oh! Before I forget, here's my Pokegear number," I said, finding the number on the little device. "You can call me here at any time, from anywhere."

Deneb asked for a pen from a referee, and wrote down the number from the screen onto the back of his hand.

"Let me know how your battle goes, okay? I have to be moving along." I told him.

"Okay. You be careful out there, okay?" I knew Deneb only meant well, but I couldn't resist the urge to debate what I used to fear so much.

"I'm not a baby, Deneb, I can take care of myself!" I gave him a little smirk, and he smiled at me. I hugged Amy close, and whispered into her ear.

"Let's head back."

I closed my eyes, feeling that strange floating sensation again before the noise from the crowds vanished.

~o~

A moment later, that noise was replaced with the much quieter murmurs of the people in the Radio Tower. I opened my eyes, finding myself right where I had left from just a short while ago. Luke was sitting in the same chair, and Vulpix instantly leapt from his lap and into my arms when she saw me. I walked over to the teen, handing him his Pokemon.

"That was pretty quick," he said, petting Amy on the head. "I thought you would stay for the match?"

"Thanks, Luke, for doing me that favor. I owe you one." I gave Vulpix a hug, and kissed her on the back of her head.

"It's okay, I was happy to help. Amy, too." I picked up my bag, and made for the exit.

"Where you off to? Aren't you going to stay for the match?"

"I should be going," I said to him, before another voice cut me off completely.

"No one's going anywhere!"

Everyone turned to the source of that threat. The man was dressed in a black get-up I knew all too well. The bright letter 'R' marked clearly on the grunt's chest, as well as the chests of over a dozen others standing in the entrance to the Radio Tower.


	31. The Radio Tower Situation

The Radio Tower Situation, Chapter 31

Don't these Rockets ever give up? It was starting to feel like everywhere I went, there they were causing some sort of trouble.

This time, I don't know what this group was even thinking. The Radio Tower was packed with Pokemon trainers, so even if everyone of the dozen grunts released their Pokemon, there would still be enough people around to fight them off effectively. Since Vulpix was already in my arms, I stepped forward, followed by a few others around me with Pokeballs at the ready. The grunt who announced his entrance just snorted at us.

"Every Pokemon trainer in the building will quietly walk out of here right now." He said calmly. The group of grunts behind him shifted around a bit, and out came a little girl with a Pokemon behind her. The Pokemon was a Scyther, a large bug type with sharp blades as forearms. And it held the little girl hostage before everyone there.

"If anyone tries anything funny, her life will be on your hands. Do I make myself clear?"

There was a general air of frustration around us. I knew I'd never do anything to risk that little girl's life, so I was among the first of the trainers to nod silently. The grunt smiled coldly at us, and the group spread out to round up everyone on the first floor. Little by little, they shuffled us out of the Radio Tower, until the only people left were the workers on the first floor. After that, the doors were closed.

By this point the Goldenrod Police had arrived on the scene, and several trainers began sharing information on what had happened. I walked away from the crowd myself, trying to think of a way to sneak back into the building to help free that little girl. It was then that I ran into Luke and Amy again.

"Quite a predicament, isn't it?" He said, leaning against the wall of the tower.

"I never thought Team Rocket would be crazy enough to storm a building like that," I said. "Or that they'd do something so evil as take a girl hostage like that!"

"The police are here now. I'm certain they'll resolve everything."

"Do you really think so?" I looked at Luke. His expression reminded me of David's in a way, only I was sure he wanted to help save the girl as much as I did.

"Something about all this has been bothering me since they first told us to leave," he continued. "Why didn't they take our Pokemon?"

Now that he mentioned it... why didn't they? In every run in with Team Rocket I've ever had, the first thing they did was take people's Pokemon. Actually, that seemed to be their primary goal in every situation. But here, they just told everyone to leave.

"You're right. So you think they want something else in the tower?"

"Actually, I think we may be hearing what it is they wanted right now."

Luke turned to the crowd near the entrance of the Radio Tower. Many of them were listening to something on their Pokegears, so I turned mine on and started shuffling through the frequencies. On every station originating from the Radio Tower, there was a message being aired from the grunts.

"This is a message from Team Rocket! We have taken control of Goldenrod City's Radio Tower, and demand that the Elite Four surrender their prized Pokemon immediately! If you don't comply, we will be forced to use our Pokemon on the employees of this tower."

The message looped after that. I looked at Luke, who was looking more and more worried.

"Guess their goal was capturing more Pokemon," I said to him. "They just wanted the best Pokemon possible."

"Even if the Elite Four were to comply, they'd take some time to arrive from Indigo Plateau. There may still be a chance to help." Luke took Amy and asked me to follow him.

"Where are we going?"

"I know another way into the Radio Tower. If we're lucky, they won't have it blocked off or guarded."

~o~

Luke's plan, as it would turn out, was to sneak into the tower via an underground entrance. Like any other building, the Radio Tower's electricity was routed through tunnels underneath Goldenrod City. And all these tunnels were accessible through a different location in the city. And as it just so happened, Luke knew how to get in.

We arrived first at the bullet train station on the other side of the city. Despite the situation at the Radio Tower, life seemed to go on like normal elsewhere in the city, with people coming and going at the station. Luke led me through a door clearly marked 'No Entry Permitted', and we were in a hallway that broke off in three directions. I remained silent the whole time, letting Luke dictate where we'd be going. Not like I had much to add, only a lot to ask.

We arrived at a door eventually, which was locked tight with quite a large padlock. Luke cursed under his breath, but I didn't say anything about it. He turned to me and sighed.

"Looks like we'll have to change the plan slightly."

"What do you mean? Can't we just break the lock and get in?" I was pretty sure Primeape could manage it. Or rip the door off its hinges easily.

"We can't risk it. If the grunts hear us trying to break in, they might make good on their threat to harm the hostages. We can't risk that." Luke had a point.

"So what are we going to do?"

"Do you have any psychic Pokemon?" His question came out of no where for me.

"No, I don't. Why are you asking that now?"

"Then do you have any Pokemon that can use Hypnosis? We need to be able to put the grunts to sleep in case of an emergency." I quickly caught on to what Luke was planning. I reached for Clefairy's Pokeball.

"I have a Clefairy, and she can use Sing! Will that help?"

"Not what I had in mind, but it'll do. However, I'm afraid it'll only be you and Clefairy going in."

"What? Why? Can't you come in after me, and bring the rest of my Pokemon?" I couldn't help but feel Luke was making it harder than it could've been.

"Don't you remember? Amy isn't very strong, and she can only Teleport one at a time. If you keep Clefairy in her Pokeball, I'm sure Amy can manage to take you both." He did mention that the first time I borrowed Amy.

"Okay, so why don't you come along?"

"The more people running around in there, the more likely we are to get caught. And if we're caught, one of two things can happen. Either they take us hostage as well, or they kill some hostages." It always came back to the hostages. Having never been in such a situation before, I kept forgetting that anything could end up costing someone their life. That knowledge scared me more than anything ever had in my entire life.

"I don't know," I whispered to Luke, "What if this isn't such a good idea? What if they do catch me?"

"Star," Luke said, putting his hand on my shoulder, "you don't have to do anything if you don't want to. I am only trying to help, but if you aren't up to it, you can leave it to myself and the police."

Truth be told, I almost took him up on that and left. Maybe it was a well of courage I never knew I had, or maybe it was my adventurous nature exerting itself when I least expected it, but I didn't leave. I couldn't leave. Not after seeing the look of sheer terror on that little girl's face. Looking back, maybe I saw a bit of myself in her, and I couldn't just leave her behind. I had to try and save her. I clutched Clefairy's Pokeball tight.

"I'll do it," I said. "I'm ready."

Luke nodded, and handed me Amy. The Abra snuggled close to me, and within seconds I was blinded by the flash of light as we were teleported away.

~o~

When I opened my eyes again, I was in a different hallway. Amy instantly teleported away again, leaving alone in the passage. I released Clefairy from her Pokeball, and told her to keep her voice down while we were there. It probably would've helped if I had asked Luke were I'd be teleported to beforehand.

"Star, are you there?" I turned around, seeing a door behind me. The voice was familiar.

"Luke, is that you?"

"Yes. You're inside the Radio Tower now." I looked around again, seeing only that hallway leading to a staircase.

"You mean you just warped me to the other side of the door?"

"Yes. Any further in and I risked you getting seen teleporting in." Guess that made sense, but it still felt a bit overly built up, I guess.

"So, what do I do now?"

"Just climb up the stairs at the end of the hallway. From there, you should come out to the basement floor of the tower. You'll be on your own from there, Star. Stay hidden, and only tell Clefairy to use Sing so long as it knocks everyone out in the room. Do you understand?"

I did, but it didn't make this whole mission any less stressful. I could already feel the beads of sweat forming on my forehead and my heart race.

"Y-Yes," I said, trying my best not to stutter.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of Vulpix and your stuff. I'll also work with the police to create enough diversions to help you along. Good luck, Star!"

With that, I heard Luke gather up my things and walk off. Now, I was truly alone. I took a deep breath, and turned around. I think I nearly wet myself when I realized there was a Rocket Grunt standing right before me. Before I could even let out a little yelp, the grunt hoisted me up by my neck.

"Trying to be a little hero?" He barked at me. His grip on my neck made it difficult to speak, but I managed to utter one word before he squeezed any harder.

"Sing!"

Clefairy obeyed right away, and started chanting a lullaby which echoed throughout the hallway. The grunt's grip loosened, allowing me to fall back down. He fought to stay awake, but within seconds he was knocked out cold. I coughed a little, trying to ease the pain on my neck. Clefairy stayed close, offering what little support she could.

"I guess that's one down," I said, trying to laugh it off. I looked at the grunt, who was sleeping soundly right next to me. "There's something strange going on here."

Giovanni was ruthless, that much I had witnessed with my own eyes. But on numerous occasions, I had seen how soft-hearted many of his grunts could be. In fact, very few of his underlings seemed to be completely on Giovanni's side regarding what Team Rocket did. But these grunts were not only just trying to take Pokemon, they were holding hostages and threatening to kill them. Even when I ran into him a second time, Giovanni didn't order someone to kill me. He knew I was a threat to his plans, yet he never went that far. It was then that I knew: these supposed Team Rocket members, weren't really affiliated with Giovanni.

Of course, this only made these imposter grunts all the more dangerous in my eyes. But I was already on the inside. I had to press forward and do what I could. I climbed the staircase, and slowly made my way into the next room.

Like Luke had said, it was the basement. It was filled with old boxes and papers, and I instantly noticed another grunt making rounds. I ducked under an empty box, and waited for the grunt to go asking for his friend who went downstairs. It didn't take long, either.

"Hey! You find anything down there?" I heard him say as he made his way towards the door, and closer to where I was hiding. I lifted the edge of the box slightly, and saw the grunts feet walk past me. I looked at Clefairy next to me and nodded.

She started singing softly, but still loud enough that the grunt could hear it. I noticed him stumble a bit, then fall over. I let out a hearty yawn of my own, but I was still wide awake. I could see why having a Pokemon with Hypnosis would be much better. Still, making due with my critter, I ran for the door leading up to the first floor.

Fortunately for me, the door was wide open, and led out to behind the counter where the employees worked. My small size came in handy now, as I could sneak onto the floor and not be seen by anyone. Most of the hostages were actually rounded up on this floor for some reason, with another five grunts watching over them. The Scyther was standing on top of a table on the far end of the floor, its eyes ever watchful.

One of the grunts was by the main entrance, talking with some of the police on the other side. That must've been the distraction Luke mentioned, and it meant that everyone's attention was on the conversation between the grunt and the police. I crawled over to the side of the counter, where the employees would leave from. I poked my head out slightly, to see who was sitting closest to where I was. As my luck would have it, it was the girl they brought in as the first hostage! The gears in my head started spinning, and I came up with the perfect plan. I whispered to get her attention.

She turned to me, and her eyes went wide. I made sure to keep my finger over my lips, so that she didn't say anything. She nodded, acknowledging my command. I looked past her, and didn't see any grunts nearby. I turned to Clefairy behind the counter, and told her to stay put for a moment. I then crawled a bit closer to the girl so that she could hear me.

"I need you to cry a little, then when the bad men get close, I want you to sing something to them. Okay?"

"Okay," the girl nodded. I crawled backwards back behind the counter. I gave her the signal to start crying, and she instantly turned on the waterworks. A few of the grunts took notice, and walked over to the girl.

"What's wrong with you?" One of them asked. She didn't say anything, and just kept crying. For someone faking, she really did it well.

"Kid might just be scared or hungry. Ignore her." Another said.

"Tell her to be quiet!" Said the one at the door. "If the police hear her, they'll stop talking and try something funny! We can't risk it now!"

The last grunt got closer to the girl, which meant it was time for her to stop crying and start singing. And sing she did, humming some sort of lullaby her parents probably sang to her before bed. I gave Clefairy the signal, and she started singing as well. The grunts started to drift in and out of consciousness, as did the Scyther at the other end of the room. Once the last of the grunts was knocked out, I sprung up from behind the counter and ran for the door. Once it was open, the police could storm in and secure the place.

But I had made one little mistake. I didn't make sure the Scyther had fallen asleep. Once the large green Pokemon saw me running for the door, it swooped in to stop me. I managed to dodge the swing of its sword-like arms, but it was now standing between me and the door. Clefairy jumped out from behind the counter, and ran to my side. I had one chance at this.

"Clefairy, Pound!"

My small critter rushed the Scyther quite bravely, but the larger Pokemon easily dodged the blow and moved in to counter. That was my chance: I ran ahead to the door, and fiddled with the lock. It was the longest few seconds of my life, but I managed to undo the lock and throw open the doors.

The police realized what had happened, and wasted no time swarming into the building.

~o~

I was resting easy at the Pokemon Center later that evening.

Once the police were in the building, my role in the rescue operation was over. They managed to evacuate all the hostages, and trapped the last few grunts upstairs. Though they threatened the life of DJ Mary, the grunts actually didn't have any Pokemon of their own to do battle or even harm Mary herself. As it turned out, they were former Team Rocket grunts, abandoned by Giovanni when they failed to accomplish one of his many schemes.

The police thanked Luke and I for helping out the way we did. We also both got a bit of a stern word from the chief about doing something so reckless. But since no one ended up being harmed, he let us off. After all, we were still the heroes of the day. Not that we'd get to indulge in the spotlight; the chief made sure to keep our involvement in the matter a secret. He didn't want either Luke or myself to become future targets. How protective of him, I guess.

In the chaos to follow, I got to speak with the little girl. Her name was Lucy, and she had been taken on her way to school that morning. The grunts didn't harm her, thanks in part to one of the grunts who was more sympathetic than the rest. I guess she was lucky after all. And seeing her reunited with her parents brought a tear to my eye. I made sure to call Mom myself shortly thereafter.

As for Luke?

"I'm off," he said flatly, carrying Amy in his arms.

"What? Just like that? Where are you going?"

"Wherever the road takes me. It was nice working with you, Star. You really proved something to me."

"What are you talking about?" I asked him.

"That if you think hard enough, you can solve some problems without resorting to needless battling. Just remember that for me, okay?" He ruffled my hair a little after saying that, making me feel like a little kid. I hated when people did that.

"It was nice to meet you, Luke. And thank you, for everything."

The next morning, I'd be off myself. I still had to meet up with Rebecca in Violet City, after all. And boy, did I have some stories to share with her once I got back!


	32. National Park of Memories

National Park of Memories, Chapter 32

My first stop was the Goldenrod Department Store. I hadn't shopped for supplies since Violet City, and with most of Azalea Town shut down because of Team Rocket, I had traveled through Ilex Forest on rations, pretty much. Plus, I had plenty of new cash from my Pokemon battles along the way. And Mom would pitch a fit if she knew I was running around without 'healthy' food.

The Goldenrod Department Store wasn't much different from the one in Celadon City. The first floor was the reception and information area, with the real stores on the higher floors. After finding out where the trainer supplies were, I took the escalator up (there were no elevators this time) to the floor and got right to buying. Unlike the Celadon store, there was more than enough space to walk around in this one, so Vulpix got to join me as I shopped.

Once I was finished, and my bag was heavier than ever, I left via the northern city gate. Route 35 connected to Route 36, which led to Violet City's western district. Just north of Route 36 was the National Park, which would be one of the destinations Rebecca and I would visit soon as we joined up. But before I was able to arrive at Violet City, I got caught up with some rather odd Pokemon along the way.

At the intersection of Route 35 and 36, a line of trees had somehow sprung up across the grassy road. With this being such a well-traveled route, I wondered just how whole trees had been able to grow like this. There were a few trainers trying to squeeze past the line of trees, but for some reason they weren't able to. These weren't fat trainers, either; and there was plenty of space between the skinny trees for anyone to squeeze through.

"What's going on?" I asked the first trainer I could find.

"We got some rare Pokemon blocking the road," the boy said, a teenager wearing typical 'cool' trainer gear. I looked at the trees again, this time watching as the tree's trunk somehow moved to keep someone from passing!

"What the!? What are they?"

"Sudowoodo. Must be a herd on the move, and they stopped to rest here. I'm not exactly sure how we'll move them." Both the boy and myself watched as yet another trainer tried to pass unsuccessfully. I pulled out my Pokedex and scanned one of the tree Pokemon.

"Sudowoodo, the Imitation Pokemon. It disguises itself as a tree to avoid attack. It hates water, so it will disappear if it starts raining."

"It hates water?" I looked up at the trees. They didn't have more than a few patches of green... leaves? I couldn't even be sure they were leaves. Still, if it hated water, why not just spray it with some?

"I don't have any water types on me," said the trainer to my left. I looked at the few others around me, and none of them had water types either. I was out of luck, too. But I did have something else: I released Clefairy.

"Clefairy, use Metronome on that tree!"

She looked at her target, then back at me. She didn't quite understand, but still she waved one finger at the tree. Out of no where, a spray of fire engulfed one of the trees. A few trainers were also almost caught in the blast.

"I'm sorry!" I said to them, blushing a bit. "Clefairy, try again! We need water!"

She nodded, and waved her finger around again. I don't know if she could control the power at will, or we just got lucky, but this time, she delivered. Seemingly out of thin air, a torrent of water shot into the sky, before crashing down on the herd of Sudowoodo. The torrent also soaked most of the people around, myself included.

Upon feeling the cool water, the trees all started to shake violently. Their 'roots' sprung from the ground, and a pair of eyes opened up on each of the trees before us. The Sudowoodo weren't happy at being soaked, and they looked ready to retaliate. I checked my Pokedex again, and saw they were rock type critters.

The trainers around me released various Pokemon, making me a bit sad I couldn't scan each and every one of them for the Pokedex. Still, what mattered now was dealing with these rampaging trees.

"Vulpix, hold them back with Flamethrower!"

Vulpix stepped up to take Clefairy's place, and blasted a few of the Sudowoodo with her fire. It might not have been effective, but it was enough to deter them. The boy next to me had released a large yellow Pokemon I didn't recognize, and was ready to fight back.

"Bayleef, use Razor Leaf!"

The Pokemon had a ring of buds around its neck, which released a swarm of sharp leaves towards the Sudowoodo herd. The tree Pokemon took this attack more seriously, and turned to retreat into the forest nearby. The other trainers were also having success in pushing back the Pokemon, with one of them even managing to capture a Sudowoodo for themselves. Once the last of the critters were gone, I recalled Clefairy and let out a sigh.

"That was something," I commented to the boy next to me. He put away his own Pokemon, meaning I couldn't scan it. I let out another sigh.

"Good thing you had your Clefairy. Wouldn't have been able to get past these things without her." He started towards Violet City.

"Heading to Violet City?" I asked, running up after him. He looked down at me, which was the first time I realized he was at least two heads taller.

"Yeah. You too?"

"Yup! Going to meet up with a friend there. My name's Star, by the way." I said with a smile. The teen smiled back at me.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Alan."

"So you don't mind some company?"

"Nope. Let's go."

~o~

We arrived at Violet City later than anticipated. Along the way, I had to stop a few times because my temporary travel companion Alan wanted to chase after wild Pokemon along the sides of the road. I didn't have any problem with this, since I wasn't exactly in a rush to get back to Rebecca anyway. Plus, it was a chance to see another trainer in action, and scan a few more Pokemon for the Pokedex. He ended up catching a couple new critters, and I got to scan them all, as well as most of his team.

Once we arrived, Alan and I went our separate ways. Normally, my first stop was the Pokemon Center, but I figured I'd surprise Rebecca at her place. If I was lucky enough, she'd even invite me to stay for dinner, as well as the night! I was sure staying with her would be much more comfortable than the Pokemon Center, anyway.

It was a pleasant enough surprise for her. I had been gone for over a week, so she was getting a bit worried. And as any friend would do, she asked how it all went in Azalea Town and Goldenrod City, as well as what took me so long. I struggled to decide whether or not to share what had happened with Team Rocket, both at Azalea Town and Goldenrod. It would be a dark cloud hanging over me for the rest of my life, and a dark mark on my history as a trainer. And one I'd have to face eventually. So I shared what happened along the way.

"My goodness, Star! I'm so sorry!" She said to me as we had dinner. As I had hoped, she invited me to stay at her place for dinner and overnight. I took the chance to call Mom as well, since my Pokegear's phone function was still messed up from the incident at the Union Cave.

"It's okay," I told her, "I'll find them one day, I just know it. More importantly, I've been trying to track down that red haired trainer. Has he been around here?"

"I don't get out of Sprout Tower very much, so if he came back through I wouldn't know. I don't see why, though; he said he came from New Bark Town the first time he was here."

"Really? That means he'd probably head north, next. You think he's going for the gym badges?" I asked. Rebecca shrugged, taking another bite from her dinner.

"Could be," she said, trying to swallow fast enough to continue talking. "Little thief probably hopes to use Lapras to win easy."

"I just hope Lapras is doing okay. He was pretty mean to his other Pokemon." The thought of him taking a stick to Lapras when he didn't pay attention floated in my mind.

"People like that shouldn't be allowed to have Pokemon," said Rebecca, not letting the sad thoughts kill her appetite. "Someone should stand up for Pokemon."

"So, where will I be sleeping?"

"You want to go to bed already? It's barely nine!"

"You didn't spend all day walking through the fields. I'm tired!" Rebecca broke away from her food, walking over to the other side of the room. She pulled out a few blankets from the closet, and brought them over to the couch where she had been sitting. After throwing a few of the blankets over it, as well as a pillow on one end, she handed me another blanket.

"There you go! Not much, but I'm afraid I don't have another bed to spare."

"It's okay, I'm sure it'll be more comfortable than staying at the center. Be sure to rest up, I'd like to leave early tomorrow."

"Early? How early?" Rebecca didn't like the idea, it seemed. Maybe she wasn't a morning person?

"Soon as I wake up, not sure what time." I had lost track of time in general ever since I started traveling back in Kanto. When you're on the road, it just doesn't seem as important anymore. There's only morning, noon and night.

"Okay, you're the boss. I'll see you tomorrow." Rebecca gathered her leftovers, carrying them into her room down the hall. Vulpix attacked my own leftovers on the table, while I slipped into the makeshift bed on the couch.

"Good night, Vulpix. Don't overeat." Of course, whether or not she'd pay attention to that order was a mystery I let slide as I drifted away.

~o~

National Park, a beautiful little piece of paradise, sat between Violet, Goldenrod, and Ecruteak cities. Normally a nice place for trainers to hang out and relax, Rebecca and I ended up going on the same day the park was holding a special contest. Another bit of luck I seemed to have. Although, the contest was for catching bug Pokemon, so it was pretty hit or miss depending on your love of the type.

"You'd think they could hold a better kind of contest, right?" By the sound of Rebecca's voice, she wasn't a big fan of bug types. Typical; because she was a girl, I guess?

"I don't like them much, either, but I think a few of them are cute! One of my first Pokemon was a Weedle, and it was thanks to him I was able to beat my first gym challenge." A fond memory, indeed.

"Nice, but still pretty creepy. Let's just hurry up and get out of the park."

"What? You don't want to enter the contest?" Most of the contestants I could see were boys. Actually, I think all of them were.

"No thanks! I'm happy with my Pokemon."

"Well, I'm going to enter!" Before I could give Rebecca a chance to complain, I ran over to the contest organizer, who stood by the park entrance gate.

"Hello! You looking to enter the contest?"

"Yes, sir. Can I ask what the rules are?"

"Certainly," he said, flipping a page on his clipboard. "The contest is to determine which trainer can catch the best bug Pokemon hidden in the park. Every little critter is marked, and only one of them will net you the first place prize!"

"That's it? Seems easy enough," I said, looking down at Vulpix. With her at my side, those bugs didn't stand a chance.

"You're only given one chance, though! Here you go." He handed me a green Pokeball, with a small symbol etched on the front that resembled a Caterpie. "This will be you entry ticket. Be sure to catch the Pokemon with this Pokeball only, otherwise you'll be excluded from the contest."

"Okay, and which Pokemon exactly am I looking for?"

"Keep an eye out for the rarest one, that's all I can say!"

I gave the man my name and trainer number, which he scribbled down on his clipboard. After, he gave me a lanyard, which had the same symbol on the card at the end as the Pokeball, and my name scribbled on it. When I turned around, Rebecca was standing there, not looking particularly happy at my latest action.

"I thought you wanted to be moving fast to catch up with that trainer?"

"I do, but what if he's here today? There's no harm in looking around during the contest, and while I'm at it, I can actually try to win!" Rebecca didn't look convinced.

"Well, fine," she said, crossing her arms. "I'll just sit by the exit heading towards Ecruteak, in case anyone tries to leave that looks like the trainer. Have fun."

With Rebecca covering the exit, I was free to enjoy the contest completely. Vulpix in my arms, I stood by the gate to the park itself, standing amongst quite a few other trainers, most of them bug catchers. Almost made me question my chances of winning; you'd expect bug catchers to be better at tracking down bugs. After a few minutes of waiting, a bell went off, and the gates to the park sprung open.

Everyone around me dashed into the park, releasing their Pokemon along the way to start searching for that elusive winning critter. At first, I was left a bit shocked, seeing everyone else chasing down all sorts of bugs in the tall grass. Caterpie and Weedle were all over the place, but I could tell that only the normal trainers were after them, while the bug catchers seemed to after the Venonats, and one Butterfree I saw flying around. I stood by the entrance, trying to pinpoint the right critter to chase down.

Just beyond the fountain in the center of the park I saw it: taller than most others, its brown body trying poorly to hide in the green grass. Its horns poked out from the tall grass, a Pinsir. I ran towards the Pokemon, throwing Vulpix into the air towards the Pokemon.

"Flamethrower!" I cried, out, watching as she released the attack on the descent. The bug Pokemon couldn't even move in time to evade, becoming lost in the wave of fire. Vulpix touched down nearby, and I came up to her side, the Pokeball in my hand. Once the smoke had settled, the Pinsir was no where to be seen! Confused, I looked around, but it was no where in sight!

"I caught it! I won!" I heard the voice come from a kid nearby, hiding in the grass. He came out of hiding, his green Pokeball still shaking violently in his hands as the Pokemon I had weakened down tried to escape.

"No fair! I saw it first!" The nerve of the kid to steal it out from under me!

"Too bad! It's in my Pokeball!" The kid stuck his tongue out at me, which only made me angrier. Just as I was about to order Vulpix to attack the little brat, the Pokeball exploded in his hands, and the Pinsir emerged, burned and tired. Now was my chance!

"Vulpix, Quick Attack!"

She vanished from my side, appearing behind the bug Pokemon and giving it a hard tackle. The kid wanted to try again to catch the Pokemon, but apparently the Pokeballs were a one time deal, and the item was in pieces at his feet. Pinsir turned to Vulpix, reaching for her with his large, flexible pincers. Vulpix jumped backwards into the grass, stirring the Pokemon still hiding within. Dozens of smaller critters started scurrying about, making it hard for me to aim the Pokeball directly at Pinsir. In that mess, I saw a Pokemon I had never seen before fly out into the air.

"Look! A Yanma! That must be the winner!"

I noticed around me that other trainers were singling out that same Pokemon I saw, meaning I had to catch it before they did. Vulpix ran back to my side, still trying to flee from the angry Pinsir.

"Forget him, Vulpix, attack that bug with Ember!"

I picked her up, and threw her into the air towards Yanma. Vulpix rolled through the air, spraying tiny embers all over the air to bring down that bug. It was a pretty dangerous move, but it not only burned the Yanma, but kept the other trainers from getting close enough to throw their own Pokeballs at him. With Yanma down on the ground, I threw my Pokeball at it, trapping the bug inside. The ball shook a few times, but before I could see if the catch was successful, the Pinsir came rampaging at me, grabbing me with his large white tusks.

"Help! Vulpix!"

I felt the pincers close in, squeezing my belly tighter and tighter. Fortunately, Vulpix appeared right in front of the Pokemon, slamming into it with another powerful Quick Attack. Pinsir let go of me, and I went crashing back down on the ground, right in front of the Pokeball, which had since gone quiet. I retrieved my prize, and turned to pick up Vulpix next. No matter how many times I attacked that Pokemon, it wouldn't stay down.

"I'll take this one!" Another young trainer stepped in front of me, his Raticate standing between him and the Pinsir. "Ratty, use Hyper Fang!"

I watched from afar as the Raticate leapt onto Pinsir, driving his fangs into the Pokemon's sides. The bug shook violently, sending Raticate crashing into his trainer. The Pinsir made an effort to attack again, but instead collapsed onto the ground, his energy finally exhausted. Before the Pokemon could even take a moment to breathe, a Pokeball struck it on the head, trapping the critter inside. It made no effort to escape.

After that little bit of excitement, the bell sounded again, signaling the end of the contest. Could the Pinsir have been the winner after all? Everyone in the park shuffled out, each of the remaining contestants holding their Pokeball in one hand. The man promoting the contest stepped forward, a clipboard in one hand, a mic in the other.

"Thank you for participating in today's contest, everyone! Give yourselves a round of applause for a job well done!" Despite the man's enthusiasm, only a few people in the crowd actually started clapping. Still, he kept up his upbeat attitude.

"Okay, in my hands I have the list of winning Pokemon! First, if you caught any of the following, please proceed to the table behind me to claim your consolation prize: a box of special edition Pikachu Tissues! Caterpie, Weedle, Metapod, Kakuna, Venonat." A few of the trainers got out of the crowd, disappointed at their prize. I couldn't blame them for being a bit sad, but their fault for catching such lame bugs in the first place.

"Next up, if you caught a Butterfree, Beedrill, or Venomoth, your prize will be a batch of special Pokeballs hand-made and contributed by Kurt of Azalea Town! That's right, you each get five Net Balls! Perfect for catching those elusive critters or even fish Pokemon!" Again, a few trainers stepped forward and around the announcer. My heart was beating faster every time.

"Now, for the big winners! Will the person who caught the Pinsir please step forward!" One of the bug catchers stood walked up to the man, who turned him around and stood at his side.

"This young man has just won a very special Technical Machine! This little device will teach any of his Pokemon the newly invented Pokemon ability 'Fury Cutter', contributed by Azalea Town's Bugsy! A round of applause to the third place winner, everyone!"

A bigger part of the crowd behind me clapped this time, myself included. Good thing I didn't go after that Pinsir that much after all.

"Now, will the owner of that acrobatic Vulpix please step forward!" My heart raced, and I took a step forward as instructed, Vulpix walking up next to me. The man spun me around to his left side, much like the kid before me.

"This little girl has not only caught the second place Pokemon, a rare Yanma, but also won a rare item for her Pokemon: a Silk Scarf!"

There was a louder bit of applause for me, causing me to blush a little. I felt someone tap me on my shoulder, and I turned around to be handed the prize. The scarf didn't seem like anything special, but it had a small tag on it with some information. Before I could get around to reading it, though the man continued with the first place winner.

"And now, the winner of today's contest. He, or she, caught the absolute rarest Pokemon out and about in the park today. Will the person who caught the brown-skinned Paras, with the yellow mushrooms, please step forward!"

There was a wave of murmurs from the crowd, and the kid stepped out from the crowd. He handed the Pokeball to the announcer, who released the Pokemon inside for all to see. The Paras was indeed brown, instead of the usual orange, and the mushrooms on its back were yellow instead of red. It was quite the unique Pokemon, and it left the crowd in awe, myself included.

"For those unfamiliar, Paras are usually orange with red mushrooms, but this Paras is one in a million! A Shiny Pokemon, special critters that are born with unique abilities. For his catch, not only will he receive a huge cash prize, but also this rare Pokeball!" The announcer showed the crowd the Pokeball in question, which was completely white, save for the red ring around the middle, which was normally black. Aside from the fact that the kid had caught a unique Pokemon, I was almost happier with my scarf and Yanma.

"Thank you all for participating in today's contest, and I hope we can see you all again here next month for the final Bug Catching Contest of the season!"

~o~

I met up with Rebecca again on the north end of the park. She was feeding her Victreebel something when she saw me, the green Pokeball in my hands. I had sent Clefairy back to the storage system, which felt rather cruel of me. She had been quite helpful recently, too.

"So, find your trainer?" I shook my head, raising the Pokeball and scarf in both hands.

"No, and I didn't win first place, either. I got second, and this scarf." I took a moment to read the tag attached to the item, wondering if it was just a notice of who made the thing.

"It says: 'Silk Scarf, attach to your Pokemon to raise their normal power in battle.' How can a scarf raise power?"

"I've heard of things like that, actually. They say Pokemon have special powers, and can use the stuff to make themselves stronger. Not any old trinket will do, though, so a lot of people think it's a bunch of lies."

"Can't blame them, I wouldn't believe it either." I took the tag off the scarf, and kneeled down to wrap it around Vulpix's neck. She wasn't very happy with the fabric at first, after having been forced to wear the bow back in Goldenrod by that stylist and all those girls. Though it was meant for Pokemon, I kept it with me, anyway. A bow is a bow, and it would make for a cute accessory sometime.

"Well, that trainer didn't come by here, either. So either he's already somewhere in Ecruteak, or he didn't come this way at all."

"Don't worry, I'll run into him again. For now, let's just keep moving. You know the city better than me, so why don't you lead the way?" I took the scarf off Vulpix before she damaged it with her paws. Like the bow, it'd make a nice accessory later on for myself.

"Alright, let's go!"

~o~

Ecruteak City, the historical center of all Johto, and maybe even Kanto, according to Rebecca. Though a number of the cities in Johto look and feel far more advanced in technology than Kanto, Johto was actually around much longer. Ecruteak may not be the start of all civilization in both regions, but it is one of the last remnants of those old days. Rebecca's history was rusty, but she said Ecruteak was now the oldest city in the region, just like Fuchsia is in Kanto, which explains their similarities. I never got a chance to learn much history, since I left school already.

Another interesting bit of knowledge regarding Ecruteak City is the pair of towers within its limits. The Bell Tower in the east, and the Burned Tower in the west. According to local legends, a pair of mythical bird Pokemon lived atop both towers, until one day, about 150 years ago, the bird from the Bell Tower burned down the neighboring one. Before, it was known as the Brass Tower, and after it was burned down, the bird Pokemon flew away, to live somewhere else in Johto. Of course, other cities claim that same bird Pokemon never lived atop the Brass Tower, but that's why they're called legends, right?

Well, Pokemon Gym aside, the main reason Rebecca wanted to accompany me to Ecruteak was the Burned Tower. Unlike the Bell Tower, which is now sealed off and everyone denied entry, the Burned Tower is open to any and all who dare go in. Wild critters have taken over, as usual, and the residents of the city prefer to stay away from there. It was in that same tower that Rebecca lost her parents, she said.

"I thought the tower burned down over 150 years ago." I said to her, confused.

"Yeah, but they didn't die with the fire, of course. It was an accident. At least, that's what Elder Li told me."

The front door to the tower was open, as was expected. Inside, I could hear the rustling and shifting about of wild Pokemon. Vulpix heard it too, and she instantly started growling at the darkness beyond the doorway. Rebecca released her Victreebel, which followed her into the doorway. Either she wasn't afraid of what was in there, or she didn't care. I walked in after her, slowly.

Inside, there were charred remains of tables and chairs all over the place. The walls were pitch black, with squares here and there, showing where there had once been portraits or tapestries hanging. And amongst it all, scratch marks, from the wild Pokemon that now lived there. One set of marks caught my eye, being far larger than anything I had ever seen. The only Pokemon I could think off with paw marks of that size was Arcanine. If such a Pokemon was living in the tower, we'd be in big trouble.

"Are you looking for something?" I asked, trying to keep up with Rebecca. She was already on the far side of the room, trying to find a way down into the lower levels of the tower.

"I'm just trying to find some clue, something about how they died. I never asked Elder Li about it, and he never said anything, either."

"Just be careful," I told the older girl, amazed I was the one being cautious. "I think there's something big living here."

Rebecca managed to find a staircase going down, and started descending. I waited until she and Victreebel were both at the bottom, then started down myself. The last thing I wanted was for the stairs to collapse because the two of us were too heavy. I told Vulpix to follow me, but not too closely, just to be extra safe. Down there, I followed Rebecca into one of the smaller rooms on that floor, finding her kneeling down by a small, burned table. It looked like a kid's room.

"I hope no one was actually here when it burned down." I said, feeling the charred wood as I walked by.

"No records exist from when it was burned down. If anyone died, they weren't remembered. It's a sad thought, right?" Rebecca walked over to a small chair on the other end of the room, which still stood upright, even after all those years. Before we could comment on it further, I heard something move around behind us.

I turned around as quickly as I could, and just barely caught a glimpse of something large. If it was an Arcanine, it was unusually fast, which only made things worse. Vulpix continued to growl at whatever it was, while Victreebel stood by her, protecting us from whatever it was. I walked up to Rebecca's side, pulling on her arm a bit to remind her where she was.

"There's something out there, we should probably go."

"I don't think I'll ever find what I'm looking for, Star," she said, lost in her thoughts. "What if Elder Li never told me for a good reason?"

"I'd help you out there, Rebecca, but there's something out in the hall! We should go, now!"

Another loud thud, and this time Vulpix started barking completely at whatever was beyond the doorway. Victreebel backed away even, hinting at the kind of strength it must have. Through Vulpix's barks, I heard a growl far louder than anything she could ever pull off. My heart started to beat twice as fast, and I felt sweat forming on my face as the Pokemon appeared in the doorway.

It was a lot like an Arcanine, only its fur was a deep yellow, and it had a long, purple mane on its back. Vulpix backed away from it, choosing not to growl anymore out of fear. Even Victreebel put plenty of distance between it and itself. The Pokemon just stood there, eyeing us all carefully. I reached into my bag for my Pokedex slowly, and aimed the device at it.

"Raikou, the Thunder Pokemon. A Pokemon that races across the land while barking a cry that sounds like crashing thunder."

As soon as the device started speaking, Raikou took notice of it, and let out a powerful roar that nearly left us all deaf. Reacting to the threat, Vulpix and Victreebel moved forward, attacking without our permission. The large plant Pokemon released a cloud of poison over it, while Vulpix started breathing fire in its face. We watched as the Pokemon took the brunt of the attacks without running, but once they were done, went on the offensive itself. The thin blue tail behind it rose up, glowing brightly as Raikou prepared its Thunder attack.

"We need to run, now!" I screamed, picking Vulpix up and ducking for cover behind the table. Rebecca tried to recall Victreebel, but was unable to as Raikou unleashed its attack on the grass Pokemon. Though it wouldn't be as effective as it could have been on Vulpix, the Pokemon was sent flying backwards, taking both Rebecca and a piece of the wall with them as they crashed into the grass outside. The entire building shook, and I feared it would come crashing down on us.

I took a huge risk, and dove out through the hole Rebecca and Victreebel had made in the wall. Outside, the Pokemon was knocked out completely, a large black burn on his chest. Rebecca was out cold, too, a small trickle of blood coming from her forehead. I turned around, praying I didn't see the Pokemon looking out at us through the hole. I stayed there at her side, looking back at the tower for several seconds. The Pokemon didn't make another appearance.

"Over here!" I heard the voice coming from the direction of the town. A girl, dressed in a particularly dirty work suit ran over to us, checking Rebecca.

"She's hurt, we need a doctor!" The girl nodded, and turned back towards town.

"We need a doctor over here! Doc, go fetch the nurse in town, quick!" I watched as a Growlithe ran back into town, barking the entire time for attention. The girl turned her attention back to Rebecca, checking her wrist and assessing the damage to her forehead.

"What happened?" She asked. I took a short moment to collect my thoughts and answer.

"We were attacked by a large dog Pokemon in the tower. A Raikou, I think it was called. Rebecca didn't have enough time to dodge its attack."

"She's hurt pretty bad. She may not make it." I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"What? Are you sure?" I clutched onto the girl's work suit.

"Relax, Nurse Joy'll fix her right up!"

Just as the girl said this, we saw the nurse run down the slope, a stretcher behind her manned by two Chansey. Joy wasted no time in checking Rebecca's vitals, then asked for help from me and the other girl in getting her on the stretcher. Without saying anything else, she rushed back into town, heading straight for the Pokemon Center. Before I followed them back, I picked up Rebecca's Pokeball, and put Victreebel back inside. Just as I was leaving, I saw Raikou again, looking out at us from the whole in the wall.

My heart racing, I turned around and ran up the slope and back into town. If it still held a grudge, it'd have to follow me into town, something I was praying it wouldn't actually attempt.

~o~

At the center, I sat down by the girl that helped us out, waiting just outside the operating room. The needle sign above the door was still glowing red, meaning Nurse Joy was still hard at work helping Rebecca out. Pokemon Centers were usually for treating Pokemon, so I wondered if the nurse would have everything she needed. After a few moments of waiting, the girl next to me decided to strike up some conversation.

"So, what were you two doing in the tower?"

"Looking around," I said, not taking my eyes off the sign above the door. "It was Rebecca's idea."

"Good thing that Pokemon didn't attack you, otherwise you might not've survived being thrown through a wall!" Something about her attitude just seemed too cheery, especially considering what had happened.

"Who are you?" I asked, finally looking at the girl directly.

"I'm Morrigan, I live near the tower. I was a bit shocked to hear noise coming from it, so I went over to investigate."

"Well, thank you for that. Who knows what might've happened to Rebecca if you hadn't called out for help as quickly as you did." My mind overflowed with possibilities, though I quickly shut them out. Of course, that didn't stop Morrigan from putting them right back into my head.

"Well, I'd guess either that Pokemon would've finished you two off, or your friend could've died right there in your arms." I couldn't believe what I had just heard. Morrigan just sat there smiling at me.

"What is wrong with you? That's my friend you're talking about!"

"Relax, kid, I'm just trying to lighten the mood. Nurse'll have her all patched up soon enough, so don't worry so much!"

Rather than indulge in her morbid humor anymore, I turned away from Morrigan, fixing my eyes on that sign again until it finally turned off. Of course, that would eat away another hour of my life, and sitting next to the grim joker wasn't much comfort. Once it did switch off, however, Nurse Joy emerged from the room, looking pretty tired. I instantly jumped out of my seat to ask her how Rebecca was doing.

"Your friend will be fine," she said, keeping a smile through all her fatigue and worry. "I'll have to see her to a larger hospital, though. I'm not equipped to finish her treatment here."

"What do you mean? Is she alright?"

"She's perfectly fine, for the most part. Her life's not in any danger, but I'm afraid she hurt her back a lot more than I can do anything about here. I'm going to contact the hospital in Olivine City; they'll be able to help her out more." Just as Nurse Joy walked to her desk, I asked her one last question.

"Can I see Rebecca?"

"Not yet, she's still unconscious. I'll let you know when you can, though."

Doctors, always worrying too much about their patients and finding plenty of excuses for them to get enough rest. I couldn't help but feel this was somehow my fault, despite it clearly being Rebecca's idea to go into the tower. I realized I was just taking myself into another endless guilt spiral, but I just couldn't stop myself from worrying. Thankfully, before it got any worse, I felt a hand land on my shoulder.

"Don't worry! You heard the nurse! She'll be okay!" Morrigan's cheery demeanor made me wonder just what kinds of horrors were really floating about her mind.

"Don't you have something else to do?" I said flatly to her, hoping she'd leave me alone for a while.

"And leave a little kid here, all alone? Never! Don't you worry, I'll stick by your side until your friend is all better." I understood that Morrigan was just looking out for what she thought was a kid sister, but I wasn't in the mood to be forgiving or apologetic. I forced her hand off my shoulder.

"I'm not a kid, I'm a Pokemon trainer!" I snapped.

"Oh! Well, I didn't know, what with your clothes, and all." I turned my gaze towards my dress, which apart from being a bit dirty from rummaging through the burned tower, was perfectly fine.

"What's wrong with my clothes?" I asked, growing more and more annoyed with her.

"Nothing! Nothing at all!" Morrigan shifted her eyes away, prompting me to force the issue. Something she wanted, I'm sure.

"There is something! Tell me!" My demand came out a little high pitched, making me sound a bit more like the kid she made me out to be.

"Well, it's cute... but that's not exactly what I'd expect to see a Pokemon trainer wearing, is all." I was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable around Morrigan, so I reached for my bag to prove how good a trainer I was. I showed her my trainer card from Johto, pointing to the three badges already pinned to it.

"See? Proof that I'm a trainer! Doesn't matter what I wear!" I was pretty worked up over this for some reason, but I just couldn't help myself. Who was Morrigan to come around and question me like this?

"I never said anything about you not being a trainer, just that you didn't look like one. Say, since you're here, have you been to Ecruteak's gym?" The sudden change in topic threw me off.

"What? Um, no, not yet."

"Then why don't we both head there now? I know the leader a bit myself, so I can introduce you and you can have your match already!" Morrigan grabbed me by the wrist, leading me towards the door. I slipped out of her grip and planted my feet in the middle of the center.

"I can't just go to the gym now! What about Rebecca?"

"She's fine! Nurse Joy's taking good care of her! In the meantime, rather than go crazy waiting for her to wake up, why not try the gym battle? Time's a-wasting!"

"But...! Well..."

Morrigan was right about that, no sense wasting time in the center when there was nothing else I could do. I guess with all her poking and prodding at me, I had gotten a bit too agitated with the girl. After all, she was only trying to keep my mind off things. Guilt built up in me, and I had to act on it.

"I'm sorry," I muttered. Morrigan chuckled a bit.

"No hard feelings! Now, let's get a move on, kid!"

After finally dropping off Rebecca's Victreebel with Nurse Joy, I told Vulpix to follow me, and I in turn followed Morrigan out of the center. Just like Vulpix, she had her Growlithe following at her side, rather than in a Pokeball.

"Is that your Pokemon?" I asked, this time trying to strike up the chat myself.

"Yup! This here's Doc, he's been my best friend for a few years, now. Say hi, boy." The Growlithe turned its head back at us, barking gently a few times. Vulpix, strangely enough, didn't bark back, and instead asked to be carried. Morrigan noticed, and started laughing. Vulpix looked down from my arms towards Doc, who wagged his tail affectionately for a moment to attract Vulpix's attention. She turned away instead, which finally let me know just what was going on between the two Pokemon.

And I couldn't help but notice how much like Deneb and I those two Pokemon were.


	33. Glory, Grace and Revenge

Glory, Grace, and Revenge, Chapter 33

I stood before the Ecruteak City gym, knowing only that it was my next challenge. Despite claiming to know the gym leader, Morrigan had been rather tight-lipped about his Pokemon type preference. Instead, I got to know the tall teen a bit more. The way she told it, she moved into Ecruteak from Lavender Town at the whim of her relatives. Back in Lavender, she used to work at the Pokemon Tower, digging graves for critters that had passed on. Quite the dark line of work for a teen, but she seemed overjoyed to do it. Everyone is different, and I guess there was nothing wrong with her job. After all, someone had to do it.

Morrigan went into the gym first, and I followed her and Doc. The arena was pitch black, save for a few candles along the walls. On the far side, the leader sat down, just barely illuminated by the two candles at either side of his chair. Unless he really liked being the dark that much, the guy was clearly playing the part of dark type trainer real well. Morrigan ran ahead, crossing the arena to speak with the leader in private.

"Okay! You're all set, Star!" I was expecting Morrigan to be supporting my side, but she took the leader's seat when he got up. Just like her, I guessed.

"Welcome to my gym. Let me apologize for the darkness here." The leader clapped his hands, causing a few spotlights around the arena to snap on. Like the other arenas, only the shape of a Pokeball was painted on the floor. The leader was dressed in a black sweater, a purple headband keeping his slightly longer hair out of his eyes.

"Hello, my name is Star. I've come to challenge you for a badge." I said in introduction.

"I'm Morty, Mystic Seer of the Future. I am a master of the Ghost type, so if you favor the normal type, prepare to suffer a terrible loss. We shall each use two Pokemon only, agreed?" I nodded, despite the fact I had no real say in the rules to begin with. Morrigan waved at me from behind Morty.

"Good luck, kid!"

Morty ignored her, and released his first Pokemon, a Gengar. Ghost types were a difficult battle, and I was at quite the disadvantage with my team. Still, I made the best of it all, and ordered Vulpix out on the field.

"Gengar, Night Shade!"

"Vulpix, Quick Attack!"

Gengar's eyes began to glow red, and it fired a beam of energy as dark as night at Vulpix. She disappeared just before it hit, and appeared right next to Gengar, slamming into him. However, rather than damage the Pokemon, she went right through it, causing the Pokemon to laugh at her failed attack. I had completely forgotten normal attacks can't touch ghosts.

"Gengar, Mean Look!"

Again, Gengar's eyes began to glow, this time bright white. I saw a shadow fall over Vulpix, as if something was holding her down. I pulled out my Pokedex and scanned that ability, finding out just what it was capable of. According to the device, it prevented Vulpix from leaving the arena until she was defeated, or Gengar was. Time to go on the offensive, then.

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

"Gengar, Lick!"

Vulpix sprayed the Pokemon with fire, pushing it back against the wall. When Vulpix let go of the attack, Gengar wasn't against the wall anymore. I searched around the poorly lit arena, but couldn't see him anywhere. Vulpix was doing the same, when Gengar sprung up from behind her. She spun around on instinct, but it only allowed his exposed tongue to crawl up her face. Vulpix shrugged off the attack, but I noticed she was slowing down a bit.

"Vulpix, Flamethrower again!"

"Gengar, Hypnosis!"

Before Vulpix could follow up on the order, Gengar locked eyes with her, lulling her into a deep sleep. I screamed out to Vulpix, but she fell down, knocked out completely. Morty chuckled as Gengar stood over the helpless fox.

"Gengar, Dream Eater!"

Gengar leaned in close to Vulpix, morphing into a string and slipping into her ear. I watched from afar, screaming the entire time for Vulpix to wake up. I noticed her face shifting around, as if she was having a nightmare. Finally, she cried out in pain, and Gengar emerged from her ear, looking satisfied and regenerated. Vulpix finally woke up as well, but wasn't looking as healthy. This was it, so I went for one last tactic.

"Vulpix, Confuse Ray!"

This time, it was Vulpix that locked eyes with Gengar, and after the Pokemon blinked, he stumbled backwards, unable to keep his balance. Vulpix sat down, trying to regain some of her strength.

"Gengar, shrug it off! Use Night Shade!"

The purple Pokemon's eyes began to glow again, but rather than shoot the beam at Vulpix, he shot the beam at the wall. It bounced right off, and came back to slam into Gengar, sending the Pokemon flying towards the other end of the arena. Now was my chance to finish the battle.

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

She stood up, trying to keep her balance as well. Gengar stumbled to his feet, the confusion starting to wear off. Vulpix opened her mouth, and let loose another spray of flames. Gengar couldn't avoid the blow, and was pushed back towards the wall again, this time directly under a spotlight. Since it couldn't escape into the shadows like before, it had to take the brunt of Vulpix's attack. After it was over, Gengar fell forward, and was out of the battle for good. The shadow over Vulpix was lifted, as well.

"Vulpix, return!" She limped towards me, exhausted. Morty recalled his Pokemon, and prepared his next one. With Vulpix out of the fight, my only strength in the battle was out as well. Morty released his last critter, another ghost that looked like a floating girl's head. I took my Pokedex and scanned the unknown Pokemon.

"Misdreavus, the Screech Pokemon. It likes playing mischievous tricks such as screaming and wailing to startle people at night." Again, the Pokedex provides insightful help on how to battle Pokemon.

"Choose your next Pokemon, Star. I haven't got all night." Out of options at this point, I reached for Beedrill's Pokeball, and released him onto the field. Bug types were ineffective against ghosts, but I had no better alternative.

"Misdreavus, Mean Look!"

"Beedrill, Pin Missile!"

The shadow veil fell on Beedrill, sealing this battle before it even began. Still, Beedrill rushed into Misdreavus, driving both its sharp forearms into the Pokemon. It wasn't an effective blow, but Misdreavus did take it directly, sending her crashing back down to the ground.

"Beedrill, Twineedle!"

Again, Beedrill zoomed into Misdreavus, driving his arms into the Pokemon again, and again doing only minimal damage.

"Misdreavus, Spite!"

The smaller Pokemon's eyes shot open, sending Beedrill reeling back into the air. His two arms hung limp off his body, as if they'd been turned off. He wouldn't be able to attack with his arms anymore. That wasn't about to stop me from going on the offensive.

"Beedrill, Poison Sting!"

"Misdreavus, Curse!"

Beedrill flew in again, driving his stinger into Misdreavus as she tried to dodge the blow. After Beedrill backed away, Misdreavus got off the ground, and I watched as her body cut in two. Both pieces floated separately for a moment, before they were reunited. Confused, I looked up at Beedrill, who was being surrounded by a dark aura. I scanned the attack with my Pokedex, and learned just what the effect was. At the cost of her own energy, Beedrill would be sapped of his own life at an alarming rate. I needed to end this battle as quickly as possible.

"Beedrill, Agility, then use Poison Sting!"

The large bee swung around in the air, gaining intense speed as he did, and again slammed right into Misdreavus, this time crashing her into the ground himself. The dark aura sapped him right after, but Beedrill still looked much healthier than his opponent.

"Misdreavus, use Pain Split!"

The small ghost floated up to Beedrill, butting heads with it. I watched as a line of light connected the two Pokemon, then vanished into thin air. Ignoring the command, I ordered one more Poison Sting, praying this one would end the battle. Beedrill's stinger sent Misdreavus reeling back, but for some reason, Beedrill was hurt as well from the blow, followed by another sap from the aura. The next attack would decide this battle, and Morty saw that as well. Unsure how to proceed, I looked at my Pokedex, trying to find some other means of winning the battle. I was amazed to find one more ability for Beedrill I never realized he had.

"Beedrill, use Pursuit!"

Morty's face was filled with shock as Beedrill flew towards his Pokemon at full speed. Misdreavus was sent flying past him and Morrigan, slamming into the wall on the opposite end of the arena. I couldn't tell from where I was standing, but it looked like Misdreavus was knocked out completely this time. Beedrill felt some of the pain himself, and the aura finished sapping what little energy he had left. He crashed onto the ground, defeated as well.

"Star wins!" Morrigan's voice echoed throughout the gym as she carried the fainted Misdreavus in her arms. She handed the Pokemon back to Morty, who returned her to the Pokeball.

"Actually," he said, turning to the fallen Beedrill, "it's more of a tie. Both Pokemon fainted, so a winner is undetermined."

"No! I win!" I screamed at him, startling the ghost type trainer. Vulpix was resting at my side, but I picked her up and showed her to Morty on the other side of the arena. "See? Vulpix is still up! I still have a Pokemon left, so I win!"

"Man, Star," Morrigan chuckled, "You really get mad easy."

"Indeed," Morty added, raising his hands in defense. "An honest mistake. You've won the Fogbadge, Star."

After I stored Beedrill away, I walked across the arena, Vulpix resting soundly in my arms. When I stood before Morty, Morrigan ran around to my side, giving me a pat on the back for my victory. I took the badge from Morty, but he reeled back the moment our hands touched in the transfer. He clasped his head, as if something had just hit him.

"Morty? What's wrong?" Morrigan ran over to see if he was alright, but the trainer just pushed her away.

"I'm alright, really. I just had a vision, is all," Morty said, regaining his composure. He turned to me, which made me feel a bit uneasy.

"Star, have you come into contact with one of the three legendary Pokemon?"

"Legendary Pokemon? What do you mean?"

"As a matter of fact," chimed in Morrigan, "Her and her friend were attacked by something in the Burned Tower! Isn't that right, Star?" I nodded, confirming the claim. I didn't know that Raikou was such a rare Pokemon, though, to be called 'legendary'.

"Then the vision was true. Star, I'd rather not share the details, but let me caution you: these Pokemon are out on the hunt, and if they've deemed you a threat to that, they'll come after you. Please be careful on your journey."

"What do you mean come after me? What did I do?"

"I won't say anything more," Morty said, turning his back on me. "Just trust me on that. If you see anymore of these Pokemon, just run away."

~o~

After that cryptic congratulations from Morty, I returned to the Pokemon Center with Morrigan. She tried her best to explain Morty's odd behavior, but it wasn't much help. Apparently, Morty had developed some kind of spiritual bond with the Pokemon atop the Bell Tower in the city, and could tell when people were connected to it. Though, what had me confused was the fact that I had encountered a different Pokemon, and in the Burned Tower, not the Bell Tower. Still, I was never one for solving mysteries, so I decided to push all that to the back of my mind as I checked up on Rebecca.

In the time we were gone, Nurse Joy had contacted the hospital in Olivine City, and they had sent a rushed service to take Rebecca back to the hospital. She'd be leaving late that night by air, though what the nurse meant by this I wouldn't be sure until I saw it. In the meantime, I went to stay by my friend's side, who was delighted to see that I was alright.

"The nurse couldn't tell me what had happened. What did happen, Star?" Rebecca was flat on her back, cautioned not to move in the slightest. I leaned over her as best I could, but since I was so small, I had to stand on the chair to look directly into her eyes.

"That Pokemon attacked your Victreebel, and the two of you went flying through the wall! I thought you weren't going to make it, when Morrigan here came to help!" The taller girl leaned over from the other side to greet my friend.

"Heya! I'm Morrigan, nice to meet you!" She offered her hand, but realized Rebecca couldn't move to take it.

"Thank you, for helping me."

"Hey, no problem! You should've seen Star, though. She was on her last nerve, worrying about you from the second they took you away. Had to drag her away for a while, to calm her down, see?"

"I-I wasn't that worried!" I snapped back, feeling a slight blush creeping up on my face. Rebecca smiled, trying to hold back the giggle.

"So, where'd you take her? The Dance Theater?"

"No, the gym, actually. You mean there's a Dance Theatre here? Why didn't you say so, Morrigan?" The lanky girl looked away, not exactly thrilled about the mention of the place.

"Not my kind of place. Plus, you said you were out collecting badges, so it was win-win, right?" I ignored her for the moment, and turned back towards Rebecca.

"So, what's that theater like?" I asked, now highly interested.

"It's run by the Kimono Girls, a group of five sisters that use Pokemon for their dances. They're quite popular throughout Johto, but most famous here. After the tower, I was planning on taking you there. But by the look of things, I guess not anymore."

"Don't worry! Nurse Joy said you'll be going to Olivine's hospital, so they can finish taking care of you! We'll go see it once you're better, okay?"

At that moment, Nurse Joy walked into the room, a new stretcher and a few Pidgeots sitting on top of it behind her. The Pokemon looked perfectly healthy, but I realized they weren't actually there for treatment when I saw the white caps on their heads. They were from the hospital!

"Okay, time to get you to the hospital. These Pidgeots will fly you there in no time! Could you two please wait outside? I have to run a few more tests before I let her go."

Morrigan and I followed the nurse's orders, and were forced outside the operating hall by her Chansey. After a few moments, we heard a stretcher being wheeled towards the door. Out came Rebecca, still flat on her back, and the four Pidgeots now resting on each corner of the bed. Nurse Joy wheeled them outside, then started undoing the locks underneath the bed.

"I take it this is a ride for one person only?" I asked, suddenly eager to fly with my friend.

"That's right! These Pokemon will take her to the hospital, but I'm afraid you'll have to get there by foot."

"Rebecca, is it okay if I meet you there in a couple days? I don't know how long it will take me to get there myself."

"Of course, Star. Not like I'm going anywhere, anyway. Oh, and do me a favor: please call Elder Li, and let him know what happened. Nurse Joy has the number." I nodded, and backed away once Nurse Joy had undone all the locks on the bed. We all watched as the Pidgeots started flapping their large wings, lifting the bed into the air slowly.

"Good luck! Fly safe, Pidgeots!"

The Pokemon and the bed with my friend disappeared into the dark of the night sky. I knew that was reserved for people being rushed to the hospital, but I would've loved to be able to fly through the sky like that one day. Once they weren't visible anymore, I went back inside the center. I still had a couple phone calls to make before I could turn in for the night. And Morrigan? She vanished along with Rebecca into the night.

I swear, that girl was just creepy sometimes.

~o~

Adding to her creepiness was the fact that I woke up the next morning with her staring intently at my face. Of course, this made me scream out a bit, which just gave her the best laugh she had in a while. A prank is a prank, but my question was what Morrigan was doing there so early? Had she nothing better to do than hang around with me? Naturally, she had an answer to that, too.

"I'm sort of on vacation," she said, keeping Doc on a leash so Vulpix wouldn't scramble up into my arms. "Parents sort of made me come here for the summer. I love this city and its history, but lately it had been getting rather dull."

"So I'm just the latest toy for you to play with while you're here?" She nodded, her clean face practically glowing underneath those dirty clothes she lugged around. Did she have nothing else to wear?

"I'm not that evil, but if you don't mind..." She stared at me intently, her blue eyes clear as day, now that they weren't obscured by her glasses. What was the purpose of wearing them if she didn't use them?

"I did want to head over to Olivine already, but since last night, I've wanted to visit that theater. Could you take me there?" Suddenly, Morrigan's gleeful delight vanished from her face. She really didn't like that place.

"Are you sure?" I nodded, intending to collect on her offer to hang around me.

"You said you wanted to play, right? Well, let's play!"

After I had a bite to eat at the center, courtesy of the first cooking Nurse Joy I had seen, we set off for the theater. The building actually wasn't the most fancy thing, just another small house to the naked eye. Apart from the tiny sign posted next to the front door, it was a normal house, I'd soon discover. I knocked on the door, and turned towards Morrigan, catching her as she took a few steps back. Confused, I looked back at the door, finding it wide open, and a girl staring back at me.

"Can I help you?" She asked, sizing me up.

"Yes, I've come to see the Kimono Girls. I heard they were great dancers."

"We're also great Pokemon trainers. Are you one, as well?" I nodded, which caused the girl to step out of the doorway and invite me in. "Welcome to the Ecruteak Dance Hall! Please, come inside and enjoy the show."

I smiled at the girl, and let myself in, Vulpix trailing behind me. Before I could take in the sight of the dance hall, the girl tapped on my shoulder. I turned around, and she pointed at Morrigan, who was still standing a ways from the door.

"She with you?"

"Yeah, she is. Oh, Morrigan~! Come on over here!" I called out to her in the most over-the-top coo I could manage, which only seemed to make her even more uncomfortable. Doc ran inside first, chasing after Vulpix who still avoided him like the plague. Once Morrigan was closer, the girl in the kimono started sizing her up, too.

"I remember you. Normally, I wouldn't let you back in, but since you're with this delightful young lady, I'll make an exception. Don't make me regret it." The girl's tone was pretty stern, a far cry from her cheery demeanor from only a moment before.

Once inside, we took a seat on the floor pillows laid out in front of the stage. Vulpix curled up in my lap, looking away from Doc. The poor Growlithe looked hurt, but chose to leave her alone when he rejoined his owner's side. As the rest of the girls on stage prepared, I leaned in close to Morrigan.

"Something happen before?"

"You could say that," she whispered, trying not to make eye contact with any of the girls on the stage.

"It was awful," said a voice from behind us, causing all of us to jump. It was another kimono girl, this one sporting a yellow outfit compared to the other girl's blue.

"See, Morrigan was pretty rude to us the first time she was here, so we asked her never to come back. That Kuni would let you back in is a rare event."

"I didn't mean anything before," said Morrigan in her defense. "I just didn't like what you all were saying about me!"

"What happened?" I was curious now, and I've always been a fan of gossip, even though I try not to be obvious about it.

"Nothing extreme," explained the girl. "Only that it would be nice if she could come dressed more appropriately to the theater. I see she hasn't had a change of wardrobe since then."

"Oh, well I agree! Why don't you ever wear anything else?"

"Because I like this outfit! You wore a similar dress yesterday, and you never seem to change out of that kimono!" Though I wanted to say something about her comeback, she pretty much had both of us against the wall. Maybe all of Morrigan's clothes were alike, just like my dresses? The kimono girl also seemed to catch on, and decided to drop the subject entirely.

"Well, I'm Miki, by the way. I hope you enjoy our performance."

With Miki back up on stage, all five of the girls were ready to begin their dance routine. They lined up on the stage, taking Pokeballs out from inside their kimonos. Each of them dropped the ball to the floor in succession, revealing critter after critter, and all of them instantly familiar. Flareon, Espeon, Umbreon, Vaporeon, Jolteon; all evolved forms of Eevee. Knowing it could be seen as rude, I released Eevee from his Pokeball, so that he could see the show as well.

With their Pokemon on the stage, each of the girls began to twirl around in place. Their Pokemon started to circle around them, making a few complete revolutions before moving on to the next girl in line. As the show went on, the girls formed a circle, allowing their Pokemon to perform their part easier. They closed in on each other, and finally all of the girls joined hands in the air. Just before their next segment could commence, the door to the hall swung open, slamming against the wall and breaking their concentration.

"How dare you come in here unannounced?" Kuni, the girl in the blue kimono screamed out, her friends standing by her. I turned to see who interrupted, only to have my heart skip a beat when I saw who it was. The red haired trainer I had been looking for since Azalea Town.

"I've come to challenge the Kimono Girls to Pokemon battles. Are you going to fight?" The kid was blunt, not to mention rude and cocky. Most of the girls were about to explode at his demand, but I stood up before they could say anything.

"I'll challenge you, thief!" My accusation shocked the entire hall, the red haired trainer included. It took him only a moment to remember who I was.

"You're the girl from the Sprout Tower. You're going to challenge me?"

"Yes! I will, and when I beat you, I'll take back my Lapras!" The kid was shocked to hear that, but didn't let it get to him. Instead, a cocky grin spread on his face, and he reached for a Pokeball on his belt.

"Then let's battle. I'll be waiting outside."

He left back out the doorway, and I ran after him. The Kimono Girls and Morrigan all told me to wait, but I wouldn't waste anymore time. That trainer was going down, and I was going to get back my Pokemon. He was waiting just down the street, his side of the battlefield. Vulpix and Eevee were at my sides, either of them viable for the first battle. The kid released the Pokeball in his hand, releasing a Zubat. I ordered Eevee out.

"Zubat, Supersonic!"

"Eevee, Quick Attack!"

The bat Pokemon opened its mouth, letting out a piercing cry throughout the street. Vulpix ducked for cover at my side, while Eevee vanished before the sound escaped its mouth. He appeared again behind Zubat in the air, taking it down to the ground.

"Eevee, Bite!"

The Pokemon bit into Zubat's back, causing the Pokemon to cry out in pain. The trainer growled, and recalled Zubat before anything else happened. He threw out another Pokeball, this time releasing a larger version of the Tododile I had seen before. I aimed my Pokedex at the critter, catching the name only before the kid ordered his first strike.

"Croconaw, Crunch!"

"Eevee, Sand-Attack!"

Before Eevee could kick up the dirt, the larger Pokemon grabbed him, and held him in place as his jaws crashed down on Eevee. He cried out in pain, and I even saw droplets of red covering his fur after Croconaw sent the Pokemon flying back to me. I was about to call Eevee back, when the Kimono Girls all ran into the street, carrying my injured Pokemon out of harm's way.

"Finish him off! We'll tend to Eevee," said Kuni, producing a few potions from her robes. I nodded, and turned my attention back to the trainer's Croconaw, and reached for Primeape's Pokeball next. My Pokemon would surely punch those sharp teeth right out of his mouth.

"Croconaw, Water Gun!"

"Primeape, Seismic Toss!"

Croconaw pumped out a powerful torrent of water, trying to push Primeape back. The monkey just forced his way through the attack, clutching onto Croconaw before taking him into the sky. They came crashing down, slamming Croconaw into the ground. The blue gator was out cold, which only seemed to infuriate the trainer more.

"You pathetic Pokemon! Get back here!" He scrambled for his Pokeball, dropping something in the process. He called back Croconaw, and then turned tail and started running away. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

"Hey! Come back here!" I started after the little thief, but he was certainly faster than he looked. I slowed down by where he was standing, noticing the item he dropped on the floor. I reached down and picked it up, seeing it was his trainer card. The name printed on it was 'Silver', and his portrait reminded me of someone. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I knew I recognized him.

"Star? What is it?" Morrigan stopped next to me, seeing the card in my hands. She read the kid's name, then looked at me again. "You know him?"

"No, but I know he stole my Pokemon back in the Union Cave. And I won't let him get away." I ran back towards the Kimono Girls, who had patched up Eevee quite splendidly. I returned both him and Primeape to their Pokeballs, and pointed down the street where Silver had run off.

"Where does this road lead to?"

"The Burned Tower," said Morrigan, pointing out the building that I had entered yesterday with Rebecca. "You're not going back in there, are you?"

"If that's where he's headed, that's where I'm going." I gave a quick bow to the Kimono Girls behind Morrigan, trying my best not to seem too disrespectful. "I'm sorry, but I'll have to finish watching the show another time."

"It's okay, go get that delinquent for us!" Miki stepped forward, a pair of red colored potions in her hands. "These are Super Potions, they'll heal up your Pokemon in a pinch."

"Hold up!" Morrigan cut in, Doc at her side barking to emphasize her injunction. "I'm going with you!"

I was going to say something, but decided not to. Silver might not have been a difficult fight the first time, but there was no way to be sure what he could be capable of when backed into a corner. I nodded, and motioned for Morrigan to follow me. Together, we ran down the street after Silver.


	34. Turning Point

Turning Point, Chapter 34

Silver was inside the Burned Tower. I could hear his footsteps down below, scrambling around to try and avoid me. Other than that, the ruins of the Brass Tower were dead silent, much like my first visit there. If Raikou was also waiting for me down below, I knew I'd need all the help I could get. For that reason, I was thankful Morrigan was at my side. We walked inside slowly, and quietly. If Silver heard us coming, he'd try and make a run for it. I wasn't going to let him get away with Lapras again.

"Star, one of us should stay up here. Actually, I should stay up here." I looked back at Morrigan, who had a Pokeball in her hand. Despite the noise it made, she released another critter, a small black dog I hadn't seen before. It started growling at me, surprisingly.

"Down, boy! This is Howler, another one of my Pokemon. He'll stay here with me, so you can take Doc." The Growlithe at her side looked up at her, and instantly acknowledged her command. He took a spot at my side, while Vulpix was on the other.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, if anything goes wrong, I'll come running. Don't let him get away!" Morrigan gave me a thumbs up, smiling behind her orange-rimmed glasses.

I descended the stairs to the lower floor, with Vulpix walking ahead of me, and Doc covering the rear. There was no sign of Raikou, which calmed my nerves a bit. A few rooms over, I heard a conversation going, but couldn't tell what they were saying. One of the voices came from Silver, but the other wasn't familiar. That is, until I got closer and closer. Then, it hit me. I turned a corner, and came face to face with him. It was Giovanni.

"Well, well," he said, showcasing that evil grin of his. "If it isn't Star. Long time."

"You know her?" Silver was shocked that we had crossed paths before. He didn't know half of it.

"This little brat has been a thorn in my side all summer long. It's amazing, actually: Lance gave up trying to find me some time ago, yet here you are."

"I'm not here for you, Giovanni. I'm here for him!" I pointed towards Silver, who turned back to the man in the suit.

"Oh? And what business would you have with my son?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Silver was Giovanni's son? It couldn't be!

"No way," I said, too stunned to say anything more.

"The family resemblance is strong, wouldn't you agree?" Giovanni looked to be having a blast, while Silver seemed more and more embarrassed. Must not be easy having a father like that.

"I just want my Lapras back!" I finally spat out. "Silver stole it from me in the Union Cave!"

"I didn't steal anything! I found that Pokeball fair and-"

"My son will return your Pokemon." Silver was just as shocked as I was at hearing Giovanni. He turned to the boy next to him, expecting him to relinquish the Pokeball. "Well? Hand it over."

"What? I'm not going to just give it up!" He yelled at his father.

"You will, or I'll take the rest of your Pokemon myself!" Giovanni's voice echoed throughout the place, finally convincing Silver to hand over the Pokeball. He held it in his hands for a moment, waving the item in front of me.

"You will take this Pokeball, Star, and you will leave this place. Do not return here ever again. Do we have a deal?"

Lapras would be back in my possession. It was tempting, to say the least, but I couldn't just walk away from this. Giovanni had been toying with me ever since I first ran into him, and in turn I've been foiling his plans with Team Rocket. Something about him today felt off, too. Why hadn't he released his Pokemon to do battle? Why was he so willing to just let me walk away under the condition I'd not return? Something strange was going on, and I wouldn't walk away again.

"No," I said, standing tall. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Why, why do you insist on interfering with my plans!" Giovanni tightened his grip on the Pokeball in his hands, causing the device to crack slightly. His scream had also drawn the attention of Morrigan, who showed up behind me a moment later. Before she could ask what was going on, Giovanni's anger melted away, and he reverted back to his usual grin.

"Very well. You wish to interfere? Then I'll make you regret your actions."

He placed the Pokeball into his pocket, and pulled out a different one from his other pocket. Nidoking was released from that Pokeball, while Silver released his Croconaw, who was still tired from the beating he had received earlier. I looked over at Morrigan, who nodded. We instantly knew how to win this fight without even breaking a sweat.

"Nidoking, Horn Drill!"

"Croconaw, Crunch!"

The two Pokemon closed in on us, but our critters stepped forward. Between Vulpix, Doc and Howler, the next attack would blow them away. Morrigan and I screamed in unison.

"Flamethrower!"

All three Pokemon opened wide, combining their flames to create a wall of heat and light so powerful, it instantly burned through both Pokemon. Croconaw fell over instantly, but Nidoking still stood, though horribly burnt.

"Howler, Firefang!"

The small black dog leapt onto Nidoking, its blazing fangs digging into the Pokemon's chest. Nidoking let out a harsh cry, and stumbled backwards. That attack did the trick, and Nidoking was out. Both Pokemon were returned, but only Giovanni released another. Silver was apparently out of critters. Giovanni's Rhydon was the next Pokemon out.

"Tell me, Star, what do you gain from this? Why battle me here needlessly?" Giovanni asked, hoping to psych me out.

"You're a criminal. Lance may not be able to do anything about you, but I can. I won't let you and Team Rocket hurt anymore Pokemon!" I released Primeape, who saw the opponent and instantly pumped himself up for battle.

"You intend to stop me? Don't make me laugh! Horn Drill!"

"Primeape, Thrash!"

Morrigan didn't do anything at first, watching alongside me as Primeape held back the larger rock Pokemon with his bare hands. The main difference now, though, was Primeape's anger. He remembered how poorly the first match against this Pokemon was, and he wasn't going to let it be a repeat. Though Rhydon's spinning horn was burning away his hands, Primeape forced the Pokemon back, using all his strength on the horn. We watched as the monkey made a swift motion, and snapped the critter's horn clean off! Primeape dropped it to the ground, and started pounding away at the defenseless and weakened Pokemon. Giovanni could do nothing but watch the carnage. In the back of my mind, I could only think of the pain Giovanni's Pokemon must've been feeling as Primeape continued to beat him into the ground.

It was then that Giovanni turned the tables. He did something so simple, so effective, that he turned the tables on me. He just smiled.

"Bravo, Star. You've become an excellent trainer. Any means necessary to win." I fell for his words.

"Primeape, stop!" I screamed, feeling that pang of guilt for having let Primeape's rage go on as long as it had.

Primeape stopped for a moment to look back at me. Of all the times for him to follow my orders, he had to be obedient now. With his guard down, I watched, as if in slow motion, as Rhydon got up from the ground, picked up its broken horn, and thrust it into Primeape's back. The whole scene seemed to slow down before me.

"Doc, Howler, Double Take Down!"

Morrigan's voice seemed to echo in the void. Her Pokemon rushed the larger Rhydon, slamming into it, and forcing it back against the wall. My Pokemon fell to his knees, but still crawled back to my side, the horn lodged in his back. I heard Giovanni's laughter in the distance. I scrambled for the Super Potion in my bag, but as soon as it was in my hands, it fell down to the ground. I panicked further, and instead tried to find the next one in my bag. Primeape's body stopped moving entirely.

I finally found the medicine, and started spraying it all over the wound on Primeape's back. No matter how much I sprayed, the wound didn't seem to close up or get better. Tears in my eyes started mucking up my vision. Again, the only sounds I could hear were that of Giovanni's laughter. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

"Terrible loss of a good Pokemon. His misfortune to fall into the hands of such a pathetic trainer."

I just sat there, hearing every word Giovanni said, but not moving. I felt Vulpix licking the side of my face, trying to comfort me. I heard Morrigan's screams as she demanded Giovanni surrender. But nothing mattered anymore. I had suffered the ultimate loss as a Pokemon Trainer. And all because I listened to Giovanni.

"No," I finally said, catching everyone's attention. There was a silence in the room. "It's not his fault. It's mine."

"Star? Get a hold of yourself! We need to get them to the police!" Morrigan's voice echoed in my ears, but I couldn't exactly make out what she was trying to tell me. I just sat there, almost as lifeless as Primeape. I felt the shuffling of feet around me, and someone screaming something. I looked up, now only seeing Giovanni standing before me. I felt the tears welled up in my eyes escape down my face.

"May that serve as a warning," he said to me. Much as I didn't want to hear his voice or listen to his words, I did. Morrigan had disappeared, as had Silver. It was just us in the Burned Tower now. I had a chance to take revenge for what he had done to Primeape. With one word, I could order Vulpix to end it all.

The anger brewing in me must've been displayed on my face, because Giovanni's grin only grew wider.

"Do it," he said. It was as if he had been reading my mind. "You'll become a fine member of Team Rocket once you do, even if I'm not around to see it."

I lowered my head. I looked to Vulpix, who had been growling at the man all this time. One word, and the threat that was Giovanni would be over. I'd be responsible for stopping Team Rocket. I'd be a hero.

But I'd also become a murderer. I'd be no different from him. I looked back up at Giovanni, the tears still flowing from my eyes.

"No."

His grin vanished immediately.

"I won't do it," I said to him. "I'd rather you get away again, than I turn into a monster like you."

Giovanni didn't say anything more. I had won.

He left before Morrigan returned to the Burned Tower, through the very same hole in the wall Rebecca had made the day before. She found me slumped by Primeape's body, exactly where she left me.

"Star? Where's Giovanni?" She asked me.

"Gone," I said, pointing to the hole in the wall. "He left a little while ago, I think."

"Damn," Morrigan cursed. I had a feeling she wanted to blame me for letting him go, but she didn't have the heart to do it. That bit of pity she probably had, considering the Pokemon I'd just lost, was what I needed.

"I'm sorry," I said instictively. Morrigan shook her head and wiped a tear from my face.

"It's okay. I've called Nurse Joy, she'll be here soon. Can you stand?"

I nodded, and tried to get up on my own, only to stumble back onto the ground. I laughed a bit, despite scraping my leg on a piece of rubble on the ground.

"Star! Are you alright?" Morrigan grabbed my leg to inspect the damage.

"Guess I can't get up by myself," I said, trying to hold back another cackle. Morrigan looked at me, and all I could do was laugh.

So I laughed. But it didn't take more than a few seconds before those laughs turned into sobs. The weight of what had just happened had finally sunk in. Morrigan did her best to calm me down, until Nurse Joy finally arrived to help.

~o~

They thought I was asleep. But I wasn't.

"She going to be okay, Nurse?" Morrigan asked the third person in the room.

"I honestly don't know," Nurse Joy replied. "She witnessed something no trainer should ever see, let alone a little girl like her. I'm afraid she might have to get some kind of help, maybe even go back home, if it's for the best."

I felt my heart skip a beat. Go home? I couldn't go back yet. There was still so much I needed to do out here in Johto. I couldn't just leave. But still, I remained silent.

"I could've prevented it," Morrigan said. "If only I had seen it sooner, Howler could've stopped the Rhydon from attacking Primeape."

"Blaming yourself now isn't going to help anyone," said Nurse Joy. "When Star wakes up, just try to tell her what happened nice and slow. We won't know the extent of the damage right away."

"What about her leg?"

"The scrape was minor. I cleaned it and patched it right up. She shouldn't have any trouble walking. If you'll excuse me."

I heard Nurse Joy leave the room. Once the door had closed, I opened my eyes. The light from the ceiling bothered me for a moment, but I adjusted quickly. I looked up at Morrigan, who was looking down at me.

"Hey, Star. You been awake for long?" I shook my head, as to not worry her.

"Not long. So my leg is okay?"

"Yeah. You just cut it a little when you fell down. How are you feeling? Do you remember everything that happened earlier?"

I did. Much as I wanted to forget the sight of what happened to Primeape, I couldn't. To forget would be to forget my faithful companion. And I'd never do that to Primeape. I noticed Morrigan panic a little.

"What's wrong?" I asked her. She reached for a tissue on the table nearby.

"You're crying," she said, wiping the tear that had escaped my eye. I hadn't even realized it.

"That's weird. I'm not even sad."

"Star, it's okay. You can tell me how you really feel. Don't keep it bottled up inside, it's not healthy." Morrigan wiped my face again, another tear that had escaped without my knowledge.

"But I'm okay," I said. This time, I felt another tear fall down my cheek when I blinked. I wiped it myself this time. "I know what happened."

Morrigan didn't say anything this time. It gave me time to sort out my own thoughts.

"Primeape is dead, isn't he?" I asked aloud. Morrigan nodded.

"Giovanni got away, didn't he?" Again, Morrigan nodded without saying a word.

"And what happened to Silver?"

"He went running in the chaos. I chased after him, but the little punk was faster than I thought. He got out of the city and headed west, towards Olivine City. When I couldn't catch up to him, I ran back to the Burned Tower. I shouldn't have left you alone back there, not after what had happened."

"I see..." My voice trailed off.

Quite a lot had happened, all at once, no less. I looked around the room for Vulpix, whom I saw sleeping in a chair next to all my stuff. My Pokeball belt had one less critter attached to it. A painful reminder, but I couldn't let that one failure, tragic though it might have been, be the end of everything I had been working for. I sat upright on the bed.

"What time is it?"

"Umm... close to seven, I think? Why?" Morrigan checked the watch on her wrist to be sure, but I was already getting off the bed. Actually, I nearly hurt myself on the way down. Didn't expect the hospital bed to be so high up.

"Star? Where are you going?" Morrigan asked, moving to prevent me from leaving the room.

"The bathroom," I said. "I really need to go!"

~o~

The next morning, I awoke with renewed determination. It was scary how effective a single night's worth of sleep and rest was for me. Still, I had little time to waste. I was on a mission still: to catch Silver and get back my Lapras. Primeape would've wanted me to finish that little errand, after all.

And speaking of Primeape, there was one final task that needed doing here in Ecruteak. With Morrigan's help, I put Primeape to rest at last. She had done me the favor of preparing a spot near the Burned Tower the day before. Once the deed was done, and I was looking at Primeape's grave, I couldn't help but cry a little. It was so final, to be looking directly at his grave. But I couldn't let it get me down.

"So you're going after him?" Morrigan asked me on the edge of the city. I nodded.

"He still has my Pokemon. I won't let him get away again."

"Be careful out there, Star. And don't push yourself, okay? I know you say you're doing fine, but-"

"Don't worry about me," I cut her off. Morrigan was a nice person and all, but when she was being overly protective, it just didn't suit her. "Thank you, for everything you did while I was here."

"No problem! You ever need another Pokemon's grave dug, I'm your girl!"

A tense silence hovered over us both in the seconds to follow. I honestly couldn't believe she had just made that joke. Morrigan went a bit pale once it sank in.

"Uhh..." She struggled to find something to say. I burst out laughing.

"That was a good one!" I said between the giggles.

"I-If you say so..." Morrigan looked away, still ashamed of the distasteful joke. And most distasteful it was.

"Well, I should get going. Goodbye, Morrigan." I offered her a handshake.

"Good luck out there. Hope you find that little punk."

I turned around and started towards Olivine City. Once my back was turned on her, I let out a heavy sigh. I didn't want to leave Morrigan on a sad note, so I did my best to cheer myself up. Vulpix did her best to help me, too, as she licked my face a few times.


	35. The Trail Goes Cold

The Trail Goes Cold, Chapter 35

Route 38, one of two routes that I'd have to travel to reach Olivine City. According to Morrigan, Silver had gone running in this direction when he escaped the previous day. I was about a day behind him, but I had a feeling he hadn't traveled far. After all, his Pokemon were probably still hurt and tired from fighting me. If he didn't stop at the Pokemon Center in Ecruteak before leaving, he'd have to travel through this route without healthy critters. And of course, Route 38 just so happened to be filled with trainers looking to do battle.

Truth be told, I wasn't in the mood to do any more Pokemon battles for a while. But I had little say in the matter, as you might expect. If I was challenged by someone, I'd have no choice but to answer. And perhaps a little Pokemon battle was just what I needed to get my mind off the events in Ecruteak City. I had hopped on my bike to cruise through the route, zooming past many trainers who were engaged in Pokemon battles of their own. I had been surprisingly lucky, and no one had bothered to stop me for a battle.

Until about half way through Route 38, when I was finally stopped by somone. It was a girl about my age, and she waved at me as I rode down the road. Unlike most of the other routes in Johto, Route 38's road was surprisingly well traveled and free from shrubberies.

"Hi! I'm Dana," she said. I got off my bike and walked up to her.

"I'm Star. You looking for a battle?"

"Yup," she nodded, showing me her two Pokeballs. "I haven't had much luck finding someone to battle today."

"Well, it's your lucky day, then! I'm a pro!" Despite my claim, Dana looked at me most skeptically. Guess I should've seen that coming a mile away. I kept forgetting that first impressions were important, and I was still dressing like a kid in summer. The days had been getting cooler, now that I thought about it.

"Um, your Vulpix looks cute with that scarf," Dana said, trying not to linger on my earlier claim. I looked at my fox friend, the scarf around her neck constantly in danger of being destroyed. Vulpix didn't like using it, but the wind was cold, and I didn't want her catching a cold.

"Thanks! If you don't mind, I won't be using her today. My other Pokemon are probably cooped up in their Pokeballs, so I want them to get a little exercise."

"Okay, whatever you want! No strings battle, just for fun!"

We put some distance between us, and Dana released her first Pokemon. It was a Psyduck, and odd little critter who always seemed to hold its head as if it were in pain. Seeing this as an opportunity to give one of my lesser used critters some experience, I released Spinarak. Dana nearly had a heart attack when she saw the little bug.

"Y-You use bug Pokemon?" Spinarak budged ever so slightly, and she took a full step back. I actually found it pretty funny.

"I use whatever Pokemon I manage to catch in my travels. You don't like bugs?"

"N-No, not at all," she stuttered, not taking her eye off Spinarak.

"Well, don't worry, he won't do anything to you! Come on, let's start!"

The two Pokemon took their positions across from each other. Dana was still a bit on edge, but she took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves.

"Psyduck, start with Water Gun!"

"Use String Shot, Spinarak!"

Spinarak scurried to a side, hoping to avoid the incoming attack. What caught him off guard was the fact that Psyduck didn't seem to follow up with the command. Slightly confused, Spinarak shrugged it off and unleashed his silk string all over the water Pokemon. As it was covered almost entirely, Psyduck finally opened his bill, and blasted Spinarak head on with the water blast.

"Spinarak, finish up with another String Shot!"

"Psyduck, Disable!"

Spinarak shook off most of the moisture, and prepared to finish the job. Psyduck's eyes began to glow a bit, and Spinarak was frozen in place for a second. The small bug looked over in my direction, letting me know that his ability had been locked.

"Use Poison Sting!"

"Psyduck, Water Gun!"

The string around Psyduck seemed to be having the opposite effect, as Psyduck was reacting faster with each new command. Before Spinarak could even move forward, the yellow Pokemon blasted him with another burst of water, knocking him back a ways. Still, Spinarak got up and rushed Psyduck, driving his stinger directly into Psyduck's stationary foot. The yellow Pokemon snapped out of the string in panic, clutching its foot as it ran back towards Dana.

"Psyduck! What are you doing? Get back out there!" Despite her orders, the Pokemon continued to cry out in pain, even going as far as throwing out the next Pokeball himself! A pink sheep emerged, one that looked vaguely familiar, but not quite.

"It's okay, Dana," I yelled back at her. "We're not battling seriously. I can call back Spinarak, if you want?"

"No, no it's okay," she said before looking down at Psyduck. "We'll need to have a talk, later."

I giggled at Dana's scolding of the cute Pokemon, then moved to continue the battle.

"Spinarak, String Shot!"

"Flaaffy, Thundershock!"

The small bug shook its head back at me, as its ability was still locked by Psyduck. It was too late to try and order another attack, so I screamed for Spinarak to move out of the way. He scurried away from the pink sheep, just barely avoiding the electrical attack.

"Spinarak, Leech Life!"

"Flaaffy, Charge!"

The pink sheep stayed still, the wool on its body starting to glow a deep yellow. Spinarak rushed in for the attack, latching onto the Pokemon with its two mandibles. Flaaffy cried out as it was drained of its health, but quickly shook Spinarak off.

"Flaaffy, Discharge!"

"Spinarak, Leech Life again!"

Spinarak leapt right onto Flaaffy again, biting into the sheep Pokemon and this time not letting go. Flaaffy's wool stopped glowing, and she released a wave of electrical energy, that shocked Spinarak thoroughly, especially being so close to her. Spinarak fell off Flaaffy, looking to be knocked out completely. I started to run towards him, but stopped short once I saw Spinarak flash white.

"I don't believe it! Your Spinarak is evolving!" Dana took a step back, knowing it would turn into a much larger bug.

"Into what?" I wanted to reach for my Pokedex, but I was fixated on watching the evolution in progress.

His size more than doubled, and his legs grew out longer. After his body returned to normal, I saw a much larger spider Pokemon, now red instead of green. Despite being hurt, he got up, looking motivated to continue battling.

"It's an Ariados!" Dana called out to me.

"Alright, Ariados, use Leech Life!" I said, not wasting any time.

"Flaaffy, Thundershock!"

Flaaffy charged up her attack, but Ariados was the faster critter, now. He bit into Flaaffy with his now larger fangs. The Pokemon was left paralyzed as Ariados restored his own health. Dana cried out to her Pokemon, which was my cue to end the battle. I recalled Ariados just before he finished the attack, and started running towards Flaaffy.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for him to go so far!"

"Flaaffy, you okay?" Dana cradled the weakened critter in her arms. There was no immediate danger, but Flaaffy would need plenty of rest ASAP. I reached into my bag for a potion, only to find I had none left.

"Darn, I ran out of potions. I'm sorry, Dana," I said, going through my bag a second time just to make sure.

"It's okay, Star. Guess you weren't kidding when you said you were a pro, huh?" Dana forced a giggle, but a single tear escaping her eye betrayed her. Feeling a bit bad about it all, I reached into my purse for some money.

"Here, take this," I said, giving her just enough for a potion. "So you can help Flaaffy out as soon as possible."

"No, I can't," she said, shaking her head. "We said it was a battle for fun. Plus, I lost. If anything, I should be paying you."

"It's okay, take it. Anything to help your Flaaffy out." Reluctant, Dana took the money. She put Flaaffy back in her Pokeball, and Psyduck as well, who had been complaining all this time about the little sting on his foot.

I got back on my bike, and Dana pulled her own out of a pair of bushes just on the side of the road. I thought she'd be riding alongside me towards Olivine, but she instead turned towards Ecruteak.

"You going to Olivine City?" She asked me.

"Yeah, I'm looking for someone along the way." I said, before adding one more thing. "You haven't seen a trainer around here, have you? Red hair, dark clothes?"

"Actually, I did! He saw me asking for a battle, and ran off down Route 39! He looked pretty beat up, actually."

"Thank you, Dana! You have no idea how much of a help that is!"

After thanking her one last time, and saying goodbye, I started pedaling towards Route 39. Like I thought: Silver was struggling to get by. His Pokemon weren't usable, so he'd be powerless to stop me this time!

~o~

I sped along Route 39 as fast as my legs could pedal me. After all, if Silver managed to arrive in Olivine City before me, I'd lose him in the city and probably never see Lapras again. And on my bike, it was no surprise I arrived at the entrance to the city just before sunset. I was certain I hadn't seen him along the way, so to make sure I asked some people wandering around the outskirts of the city.

"Excuse me," I said to the first passerby I saw. "Have you seen a boy with red hair enter the city today?"

"Can't say that I have." The man said with a frown.

"Thank you, and sorry for the trouble."

I repeated the same short conversation a few times to a few other people, and no one remembered seeing a red head walking into the city. Taking it as a surefire sign that he hadn't made it into the city yet, I returned to Route 39 to keep looking. He had to have been camping out, or hiding out, somewhere along the edge of the road. The sun was setting quickly, so I didn't have a lot of time to search.

To make the search easier, I made use of my Pokemon. Yanma and Beedrill took to the skies for an aerial search, while Eevee and Vulpix went out on foot to search the forest along the side of the road. I waited on the main road, since going out to search as well would leave my Pokemon lost if they came looking for me. It was a smart decision on my part, but also a painfully dull one.

So I just walked up and down the side of the road, hoping all the while I wouldn't be challenged by a passing trainer. I told my critters that once it got dark, to come right back so we could return to Olivine City. If I didn't find Silver on the road this evening, I'd wait for him in the Pokemon Center.

While I waited in the twilight, I looked up at a random tree, and saw something grayish blue hanging off a branch. Being as bored as I was, I picked up a rock and threw it at the thing. I knocked it clean off the branch, and it came tumbling down to the road next to me. I walked over to it, only for it to stir and stand upright! I shrieked and backed away, seeing a pair of angry eyes appear on the object. I pulled out my Pokedex and scanned the thing.

"Pineco, the Bagworm Pokemon. It hangs and waits for flying insect prey to come near. It does not move about much on its own."

"Oops, guess I got it a bit angry," I said, scratching the back of my head. The Pineco started hopping towards me, set on hurting me. With my Pokemon selection limited, I grabbed the first Pokeball I could, which ended up being Ariados.

"Ariados, String Shot!"

My large spider Pokemon easily stopped the smaller Pokemon in its tracks with the sticky string. I figured there was no point in fighting it further, since it was my fault it got angry in the first place. I walked over to the Pineco once it was restrained, and kneeled down in front of it.

"I'm sorry," I told the small Pokemon. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

I was pretty sure the Pokemon couldn't understand me, but all the same I felt the apology was necessary. The Pineco tried its hardest to break free of the web, but couldn't. I turned back to Ariados.

"Push him along back against the tree," I ordered.

Ariados nodded, and went to work. This was terribly dull, just sitting here and then not battling a wild Pokemon over a little guilt. That is, until I heard a strange sound coming from behind. I spun around, and saw Ariados backing away from the Pineco. I took a step forward, and saw that the Pokemon was glowing white- it was evolving! I scrambled for my Pokedex again, and scanned the critter just as it finished its evolution.

"Forretress, the Bagworm Pokemon. Its entire body is shielded by a steel-hard shell. What lurks inside the armor is a total mystery."

The larger Pokemon lurched forward, still enraged at us for disturbing it. Now what little guilt I had over battling the Pokemon was gone.

"Ariados, String Shot!"

Ariados tried to cover the Pokemon in the sticky substance, but all Forretress had to do to negate the attack was lurch forward again. I noticed a part of its outer shell crack, and the Pokemon blasted it towards us both. I covered myself as best I could, but at least one of the fragments struck me dead on. I stumbled backwards, a sharp pain on my left forearm. When I opened my eyes, I noticed a large spike lodged in my arm. There was a trickle of blood escaping the wound caused by the attack.

"Ariados, help!" I cried out.

My bug Pokemon moved to cover me, but he only hurt himself as well when he moved from his spot. There were spike all around us both, and any bit of movement would prove difficult. The Forretress moved closer still to us. Ariados turned to the wild Pokemon, and attacked of its own volition. However, the shell on the Pokemon was too hard for it to penetrate, and Forretress just pushed it back onto more spikes.

I called back Ariados after seeing the amount of damage he was taking. I was defenseless against the Forretress now, but it was a risk I had to take. I stood up, my arm hurting with every little bit of movement. All around me, the spikes made it difficult to walk, but I made use of my hopscotch skills to hop around the spikes and to the safety of my bike. Still the wild Pokemon chased after me.

"Vulpix!" I shouted into the forest beyond. "Help me!"

My voiced echoed all around, and I hoped it would reach the ears of my fox friend. Once the Forretress had closed the distance between us a bit more, it prepared for one last attack. Its body began to spin like a top, and it moved in to crush me. I closed my eyes and braced myself for the blow, but it never came. When I opened my eyes again, I saw both Yanma and Beedrill holding back the spinning Pokemon. What's more, Eevee and Vulpix were right behind it, ready to fight back.

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

Beedrill and Yanma pushed the Pokemon back, and Vulpix took the chance to blast it with flames. Being both bug and steel types, the attack cut through the Forretress like it was nothing. Within seconds, all that was left of the Pokemon was a charred husk. I breathed easy once the Pokemon had been subdued.

"Thanks, everyone," I said to my four friends. They all gathered around me, trying to make me feel better about the spike still stuck in my arm. I tried to remove the spike, but merely touching it made my whole arm hurt. I cried out in pain, and my Pokemon just panicked further.

"Oh my goodness, are you alright?" A voice called out to me from up the road.

"Who are you?" I asked, my Pokemon on the ready.

"I live up the road, on the farm! I heard someone cry out for help, so I came running as fast as I could!" The voice belonged to a rather stout woman. She approached me in the growing darkness, and noticed the spike in my arm right away.

"My goodness! You're hurt, child!" Without much consideration, she took my arm, and the sudden jerk caused me to cry out again from the pain.

"Ow! It hurts!"

"Of course it does, child! Look at that!" The woman pointed to something else in another direction, which I followed without thinking twice. Suddenly, I felt a whole new level of pain throughout not only my arm, but my entire body. Instinctively, I started bawling in response.

"Don't cry, child. I got the spike out, see?" The woman showed me the spike before tossing it into the forest.

"That hurt!" I yelled at her, tears in my eyes.

"Of course it did, but it would've been worse to leave it in there. Could've been poisonous. Come along, now. We should get that wound treated!" The woman effortlessly hoisted me up in her arms.

"But my Pokemon! My stuff!"

"Don't you worry, they'll be right along," she said, before turning to my four critters. "You all be sure to bring your trainer's things, okay?"

My Pokemon all looked at each other for a moment, before nodding to the large woman. My bike still needed to be folded, and my bag was open and left on the side of the road during the battle. I trusted Vulpix and the rest of my Pokemon, but I couldn't help but worry over my things as the woman carried me in the opposite direction of Olivine City.

~o~

It was a painful couple hours to follow my arrival on Moo Moo Farm. The woman's name was Martha, and she owned the place, which raised Miltanks and sold their milk throughout all Johto. As a matter of fact, I distinctly remembered seeing the symbol plastered all over the farm on the milk cartons Mom bought back home. Guess her product made it all the way to Kanto, too.

Once we got to her house, she treated my arm and bandaged it within minutes. She seemed to be quite good at it, which prompted me to ask her if she used to be a nurse or something.

"Once, long ago," she answered. "Before I got into this life, and the Joy family took over the nursing business."

"You know Nurse Joy?"

"Oh dearie, I know most of the Joy family! Huge family, the lot of them. Runs in the family to become a nurse, I think. But that's a long story."

Martha also had a pair of daughters to which she introduced me. The elder one was Natalie, who was eight, and Kathy the younger one at six.

"Did you get hurt by a Pineco?" Kathy asked me while Martha finished patching me up.

"Actually, it was a Forretress," I told the little girl. She looked at me wide-eyed.

"What's a Forest?" She asked, making the adorable mispronunciation of the Pokemon's name.

"It's the evolved form of Pineco," I explained to her. Still she looked at me with those wide eyes. After rethinking it a bit more, I explained it to her again. "It's a grown-up Pineco."

"Oh! I get it!" She exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with understanding. In a way, she reminded me of myself when I was her age.

"Momma," Natalie cut in, speaking to Martha, "We need another blanket for the boy."

"Oh! Right, I'll get right on that, Natalie dear." Martha finished up with my arm, then went to a nearby closet to gather a few other things.

"The boy?" I asked Kathy next to me. She giggled.

"We found a boy on the side of the road, all beat up like you! His Pokemon were all beat up, too. Mommy is taking care of him, too!"

Could my luck really be that good at times? It was no wonder I had no luck finding Silver on the road; he had been hiding out right here all along. I made sure I could move my arm without hurting myself, then followed Martha and Natalie to the other room. Kathy trailed behind me, asking more questions.

"Do you know the boy we found?"

"I think I do," I answered.

"Is he your boyfriend?" The mere question sent a cold shiver down my spine.

"No!" I barked at Kathy. Afraid she might've taken it the wrong way, I went to apologize, when I saw the huge grin on her face.

"It's okay, I won't tell anyone. Cross my heart!" She scurried along ahead of me. Rather than get worked up over this, I just sighed. Better they think I was Silver's boyfriend than I was out to get him for stealing my Pokemon. Last thing I wanted to do was cause trouble for these people.

In the next room, I saw Martha changing the blanket that covered the red-haired boy resting on the bed. It was Silver, and right next to him on the nightstand were three Pokeballs. One of them was surely my Lapras. I took one step towards the Pokeballs, when Natalie spoke up.

"Do you know this boy?" She asked me. Before I could answer, Kathy cut in.

"Shh!" She whispered, before bringing Natalie in closer. "She doesn't want you to know that's her boyfriend!"

If Kathy was trying to conceal that from anyone in the room, she failed. Still, I didn't care what she said. I wanted my Pokemon back, so I walked over to the nightstand and reached out for one of the Pokeballs.

"What are you doing, dearie?" Martha asked me. My heart raced.

"I know this boy," I explained. "He stole one of my Pokemon from me."

At that moment, Silver stirred in the bed. His eyes opened up, and he saw me looking down at him. At first, I thought he didn't recognize me, since he didn't even blink. A moment later, he started talking. His voice was raspy, but everyone could still make out what he was saying.

"I don't have your Pokemon," he managed to say.

"Why should I believe you?" I said coldly.

"Giovanni..." That was the last thing Silver was able to say. He passed out after that, and for a moment, we thought he might've been dying or something. Martha checked his vitals, and then told us all to relax.

"He's just exhausted, is all. Star dear, a word?"

Martha practically dragged me out of the room. Her daughters didn't follow, so it seems they knew better than to go eavesdropping.

"I know you only mean well for the sake of your Pokemon, but I don't want you speaking to that boy again." For the first time since meeting her, Martha's tone was angry.

"I'm sorry. I just had to try," I mumbled, not looking up at the larger woman.

"That's quite alright. But you heard him: he doesn't have your Pokemon. I don't want to chase you out of here in the middle of the night, so please just do me a favor and keep your distance."

Martha didn't say anything more on the matter. Not that she had to, I knew she wouldn't hesitate to throw me out for the sake of her other patient. What's more, I had a feeling Silver wasn't lying about Lapras. My memory of the event was a bit hazy, but I clearly remembered Giovanni putting a Pokeball in his pocket before the battle. In my haste, I had come running all this way for nothing.

Giovanni was long gone, and with him, Lapras.

~o~

I could hear the Miltanks mooing in the middle of the night. Martha and her daughters had gone to sleep a while ago, but I couldn't sleep. I went outside, taking in the warm summer air while I still could. Autumn was fast approaching, and these nights would be gone soon enough. Vulpix was sitting next to me, yawning every few seconds. She wanted to go to sleep, but I guess she also didn't want to leave me alone out here with all these Miltanks.

"Go back inside, Vulpix. I know you're sleepy." She shook her head, intent on staying by my side.

"I'll be here with her," came another voice from behind us. It was Natalie, dressed in her nightgown. "The Miltanks won't do anything to either of us."

Vulpix didn't need much more convincing. She ran back inside the house, leaving me alone with Natalie.

"Thanks," I told her. "She needs the rest."

"I think you do, too. You're feeling bad about your Pokemon, right?" Natalie was surprisingly perceptive, though it wasn't hard to pick up on that.

"It's been hard for me. Feels like nothing has gone right since I first came to Johto."

"Then why don't you go back home?" Natalie asked. It was a simple enough question, yet I couldn't muster an answer. How many times had I thought about this? How many times had I come to a decision, only for it to be questioned again?

And now came the latest decision: to act strong in front of Natalie, or doubt myself yet again. I held my head up high.

"I can't go back," I finally said to her.

"Why not?"

"Because I want to be here, mistakes and all."

Natalie didn't quite get it, but I just gave her a smile as reassurance. The Miltanks had stopped mooing a while ago, finally ready to sleep themselves. Taking it as a sign, I also went back inside the house with Natalie. Tomorrow, I'd press onward yet again.


	36. Medicine Across the Sea

Medicine Across the Sea, Chapter 36

The following morning, I left the Moo Moo Farm after a nice send off by Martha and her daughters. As thanks for everything, I let them have the last Super Potion in my bag. It had been given to me by one of the Kimono Girls prior to my fight with Giovanni in the Burned Tower, and they'd need it more than I. During breakfast, Natalie mentioned one of their Miltanks had come down with something. While the Super Potion wouldn't cure her, it would keep her healthy enough until they could get the medicine they needed.

"They sell the medicine we need in Cianwood City," Martha said. "But I can't just up and go to the city and leave my girls behind."

"I'll go," I offered, as you might expect. "I'm headed in that direction anyway."

"If it's no trouble, Star dear, we'd appreciate that. The faster our Miltank gets better, the faster we can get back to selling Moo Moo Milk."

So with that, I had a new short-term goal, and one that required a bit of haste on my part. Seemed like no matter what, I always had a carrot dangling in front of me to keep me going. But I wasn't about to complain; after all, it's what kept me moving forward. And there was certainly nothing wrong with that. A bike ride through now familiar Route 39, and I arrived back at Olivine City.

This seaside metropolis reminded me a lot of Vermillion City. My destination was Cianwood, beyond the sea, so I'd have to book passage on a ship. But before I got around to that, there was one stop I had to make while here. I wandered the busy streets of Olivine for a while, until I found what I was looking for: the hospital.

I walked inside, and quickly became the center of attention. Shrugging it off, I walked up to the front desk and waited for one of the nurses to attend to me.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, I'm looking for my friend? She was brought here from Ecruteak City a few days ago by Pidgeot. Her name is Rebecca."

The nurse nodded, and got right to typing on her computer. A moment later, she nodded.

"Yes, she was discharged early this morning. I'm afraid you just missed her."

"Really? Do you know where she went?" If she was still somewhere in the city, perhaps I could catch up to her and see her again.

"I'm afraid she went back to her home, in Violet City. An elderly man came by to pick her up." The nurse said with a frown.

"Elder Li..." I said to myself, remembering the old Pokemon trainer from Sprout Tower.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"No, but thanks anyway." I gave the nurse a slight bow, and left the hospital.

Once outside, I tried to think of a way to contact Rebecca out in Violet City. Unfortunately for me, I had never gotten her phone number while we were together, and I never gave her mine. Not that it mattered, as my Pokegear was still broken. I sighed, and looked down at Vulpix.

"Guess I'll see her again some other time. At least she's okay, right?" I told my companion.

My next destination was the port, just outside the city on Route 40. If I moved quick enough, I'd be able to catch a ferry across the sea to Cianwood that very same day.

~o~

Route 40 is a short road just outside Olivine City that connects to the ocean. Like Route 19 in Kanto south of Fuchsia City, it was simply a means for travelers and trainers alike to find a way across the ocean to their next destination. And unfortunately for me, without a water Pokemon on my team, I'd have to buy passage on a ferry this time.

There was quite a crowd on the pier that afternoon, so I had to force my way through a bit of a crowd to reach the ticket booth. It probably would've saved me a lot of trouble if I had asked someone in the crowd for help first, which I chose not to do this time.

"I'd like to buy a ticket to Cianwood, please," I asked the woman running the booth once I got there.

"I'm sorry, but the ferry has been stopped for the time being." Another hitch in my plans.

"What? Why?" The woman pointed out to Olivine City behind me.

"See the lighthouse?" I followed her finger to the distinctly different building on the edge of the city, by the shore. "The Pokemon responsible for lighting it has fallen ill. Without the lighthouse, we can't risk running anymore ships."

"Not even during the day?" At night I could understand the need for the lighthouse, but it was perfectly fine day right now.

"The bay around Olivine is prone to fog, so the amount of ferries running has been reduced. The only ferry to and from Cianwood has already departed for the day." This was more of a problem than ever.

"So there's no way to get to Cianwood for me?" I asked.

"I can't sell you any tickets, but if you have a pass, you're free to jump on the ferry like any other person," she explained.

"And where can I get a pass?"

"Sorry, we don't sell those right now." I sighed again.

"Thank you for all your help."

I pushed my way through the crowd and back towards Olivine City. Vulpix joined my side again, having chosen not to follow me to the ticket booth. I plopped down on the ground next to her, unsure what to do next. Without a ship to cross the ocean, my only other option was catching a water Pokemon large enough to ride across the sea. But that meant I'd need a fishing rod, so I'd have to go back into Olivine to buy one...

"This is such a pain!" I screamed to both myself and Vulpix, before burying my head in my knees. Vulpix barked a couple times, but it wasn't at me.

"Well, we meet again." Came a familiar voice. I looked up at the source of the voice.

"You're the boy from Route 36! Alan, right?"

"That's me, and you're Star. Glad we remembered each other for this nice little chat." He looked at the mass of people around the ticket booth for the ferry.

"Don't bother," I told him, "They aren't selling any tickets now."

"I heard from someone in town, actually. Lighthouse Pokemon is sick, so everything is shut down. Sucks for me, since I don't have any water types."

"Me too," I agreed, but careful not to swear. Mom would surely wash my mouth out if I tried, even if she wasn't here to hear me.

"Guess I could just turn back and head to Mahogany Town," Alan commented, before turning to leave. He sure didn't waste any time.

"But I can't do that! I have to get to Cianwood City!" I whined. It felt out of character, but perhaps Alan could set me straight with a kind word of wisdom. Not that I was expecting much.

"Well, if the Lighthouse Pokemon is sick, perhaps you should find out if there's any medicine for it to get better. Once it's better, the ferries would return to normal, right?"

I couldn't believe it. Alan actually had a point. I shot up from the ground, ready to press onward.

"You're right! I'll head to that lighthouse right now! Thanks, Alan!"

I ran past him, not even stopping to say goodbye. I probably should've told him to wait around the city for a while, in case he really wanted to reach Cianwood City. I was certain I'd find a way to fix everything soon enough!

~o~

Glitter Lighthouse, contrary to its name, didn't have a single speck of glitter anywhere on it! Personally, I didn't much like the stuff. Quite the opposite, I feared it like I feared drowning. See, when I was little, I heard from a teacher of mine at school that glitter was made of tiny pieces of paper, and if one got into your eye, it could cut it and leave you blind. After hearing that, I instantly disassociated myself with the stuff. This of course meant extra spending for Mom, who had to replace a good chunk of my wardrobe. Before learning that, I was the kind of girl that liked the sparkly stuff on my shirts and dresses.

The lighthouse was on the pier, overlooking the ocean and effectively Route 40, though it was more to the west than south. There was still plenty of sunlight, so there was no reason for it to be switched on. It looked to be about five or six floors, meaning plenty of climbing. I looked down at Vulpix, who figured the same and was begging to be carried. But if I had to climb, so did she.

Inside, the walls were barren and the halls poorly lit. Not sure if it had anything to do with the sick Pokemon, but already it wasn't a good sign. I walked down the hall and up the first flight of stairs, counting each of the fourteen steps along the way. A little compulsion of mine. Atop that flight was another poorly lit hallway, though this one wasn't empty. Halfway down the hall, there was an old man in a suit standing against the wall.

"I'm sorry, but further entry is prohibited. Wouldn't want you or your Pokemon catching whatever it is ailing our Amphy." He stood in my way, folding the paper he was glossing over and tucking it under his arm.

"Hello, I'm Star," I said, offering my hand. The man took it and shook it gently.

"Preston, my dear. Might I inquire what it is you want here?"

"I heard the Pokemon here was sick. I just wanted to see if I could help somehow." And in turn, get across the ocean to Cianwood City myself. Preston nodded silently, looking down at Vulpix for a second before responding.

"I'm afraid short of you having the medicine Jasmine is looking for, you'd only get in the way."

"So the Pokemon is sick? Just tell me what kind of medicine it is and I'll go out and get it!" I didn't blame Preston for looking at me strangely. How many people just waltz up to someone begging to help out?

"Jasmine has already called for the medicine to be prepared and delivered. If you are sincere, take this and head to Cianwood City. Perhaps you'll make the trip faster than the deliveryman."

Preston handed me a handkerchief. Other than a strange symbol etched into a corner, it was a plain white piece of cloth. I didn't see how it was much of a message to someone, but not everything had to be written explicitly.

"So it's somewhere in Cianwood City?"

"There's a pharmacy there, next door to the city gym. Jasmine made the order today, so if you hurry, you could make it there and back by tomorrow evening. There's a ferry that travels to and from the island city daily."

"But that ferry won't let anyone on unless they have a pass," I explained to Preston. The older gentleman scratched his chin for a moment before answering.

"Take this, then." He handed me a card next, with the picture of a Dewgong on it. There were a few words written on the card, but I didn't get to read them before he explained what it was.

"It's a pass for the ferry. You'll be able to get on with it."

"Really? Thank you!" I couldn't believe how easy that had been.

"My pleasure. Now, can I trust you to bring back the medicine in a timely fashion?"

"You bet! I'll be at the pier first thing tomorrow!" I turned around and made for the stairs, when Preston held me back. I looked back at him as he adjusted his hat.

"Why are you so eager to lend aid, young lady?"

"Well, I know what it's like to be sick. And if the Pokemon doesn't get better, won't that make it hard for ships to dock in the city? I mean, that's what the lighthouse does, right?" My answer showed obvious signs of self gain, but everything I said was truthful. I wouldn't want that Pokemon to remain sick, and I most certainly didn't want to let Martha and her daughters down.

"Thank you again for your help," Preston said, tipping his hat.

"No problem! I'll be back as soon as I can with the medicine!"

~o~

As always, the Pokemon Center was more than willing to let me stay the night. Of course, while I left my critters with Nurse Joy at the front desk, I made a stop by the second floor, where the phones were. Mom was probably going crazy by now, not having heard from me in a few days. I dialed home, and the phone didn't even ring a full one time before she picked it up.

"Hello? Star? Is that you?" She sounded desperate on the other line.

"Yes Mom, it's me." The screen switched on, showing me her face. That short time without hearing from me had really hit her nerves. She looked like she hadn't stopped pacing since my last call.

"Mom, you look sick, are you okay?"

"Yes, yes I am. I'm not sick, Star, just sick with worry! Why didn't you call sooner?" I thought about that for a moment, remembering that I hadn't talked to her since I stopped by Violet City again to meet up with Rebecca. With all the craziness in Ecruteak City, I never once picked up a phone there.

"Sorry, I ran into a bit of trouble in Ecruteak City. I'm okay, though! I'm in Olivine City now."

"Well, I'm happy to hear that you're okay, but you do have that Pokegear! Why don't you call me more often?" I looked down at the device on my wrist.

"Mom, you know this thing is broken. Can you ask Professor Oak if he knows someone who can fix it?"

"As a matter of fact, I do!" The Professor's voice rang out from behind Mom. A moment later, Oak was looking at me through the screen.

"Professor? Why are you there?"

"Paying your mother a visit. Your friend Deneb is here as well. As for your Pokegear, I believe if you send it directly to Devon Corp, they'll repair it for free! They pride themselves on exemplary customer service."

"Where are they?"

"Rustboro City, out in the Hoenn region. You'll have to pay a small delivery fee to have it shipped out there, but otherwise it's totally free of charge! By the way, Star, insert your Pokedex into the phone there. I recently updated the system to account for even more Pokemon from other regions. I doubt you'll find yourself there anytime soon, but-"

"Alright, that's enough, Professor! It's my daughter!" Mom pushed Professor Oak off the screen, and grabbed onto the phone with both hands, as if trying to hold me in place.

"Star, you're in Olivine City, right? I'll send you some extra money so you can get that Pokegear fixed! I don't want to go this long without talking to you again!"

"Mom!" I looked behind me, but fortunately there was no one around to hear her screaming into the phone. "Relax, okay? I need to get it fixed, but I can't just stay here waiting for that money."

"What? Why not?" I sighed, figuring I'd have to explain the situation.

I told her about the Pokemon at the Lighthouse, the trip across the ocean to Cianwood, and returning to the farm to deliver the medicine for Martha. It surprised me a little as I told the story just how busy I'd become in so short a time.

"That's my girl!" Mom practically screamed into the phone. "Always helping out! I'm so proud of you!"

"Mom, you're embarrassing me," I said with a bit of a blush. Professor Oak was still somewhere nearby, listening in no doubt.

"But about that Pokegear! We need to get it fixed, so I have to send you the money somehow!"

"Actually, I think I have an idea for that. Could you put the Professor on?" I said, coming up with an idea so crazy, I could hardly believe it myself. Mom called for the older man to come back to the phone.

"Yes, Star? Have you inserted your Pokedex like I asked?"

"Oh, not yet..." I dug in my bag quickly and did as he instructed. While the computer did its magic, I went about my idea.

"Professor, you said the Devon Corp is in Rustboro City, right?"

"That's right. You can have them fix or replace your Pokegear in a jiffy!"

"And what if I just went there myself?" As expected, Mom pushed the old man off screen and clutched onto the phone.

"What!? You're going to Hoenn?"

"Mom! Please, calm down," I said in a hushed tone. "I was thinking about it, is all. I'd like to see the region myself."

"But, you haven't been home in so long!" She was grasping, but I couldn't blame her.

"Mom, I've only been in Johto for a few weeks, maybe a month." The passage of time wasn't something I kept much track of, as you know. Mom struggled to find the right words to convince me otherwise, but after a few false starts and some mumbling, she let out a sigh.

"I won't be able to stop you, huh?"

"I'm sorry," I said, feeling bad about it all. Maybe her plan was to guilt me into not going.

"I'll send you some money, then," she said quietly. "So that you can buy a ticket on a cruise ship to Hoenn from there."

"What? Really!?" Now I was the one screaming into the line.

"Well, you'll have to use some of the money I gave you before you left, but I think between the two of us we can manage. Do you know when you'll be leaving?" It was all happening so fast.

"I... I don't know, yet. There's still a few things I have to do here in Johto. I'll call you again and let you know." There was no need to decide on everything now, after all.

"Okay, Star. Just be sure to call me as often as you can, okay? I die with worry everyday you don't call!" By the look of her hair and face, I believed her.

"Okay, Mom. I promise. I have to go now," I said, remembering I am using the Pokemon Center's phone.

"Okay, sweetie. Take care out there, and be careful when you get on that boat tomorrow!"

"I will, Mom. Bye!"

Mom blew me a kiss, then the screen went dark. I got up and turned around, only to be scared half to death when I bumped into Nurse Joy. She handed me a tray with my Pokeballs, and Vulpix at her feet. As I put them all back in their spots, my stomach let out another loud grumble, which the good nurse heard. My face felt like it was on fire.

"Would you like something to eat? We don't have much-"

"Please," I said, cutting her off. I felt my face flush a bit hotter after realizing what I had just said. "I mean, I can pay for it if I have to!"

"Don't worry, everything's on me. This way."

It was for reasons like this that I never stayed at actual hotels on my travels. Call me cheap.

~o~

I woke up early the next morning, and after mooching off Nurse Joy and the center once more for a small breakfast, I ran out of the city towards Route 40. Surrounding the dock was a crowd of people, which didn't surprise me following yesterday. How so many people suddenly got passes for the ferry was beyond me if the ticket booth wasn't selling them yesterday.

I wiggled through the crowd, Vulpix leading the way through the small passes between people. Once the ferry started loading up passengers, I was among the first to get on, the card given to me by Preston making it an easy task. I took a seat by the ramp, watching the other people as they boarded the ferry. I didn't know very many people here in Johto, but there was always the chance of making new friends. Of course, this isn't exactly what happened on the ferry that morning.

One of the many people boarding the ferry was a familiar face. I couldn't quite place the kid at first, but he seemed familiar all the same. In fact, it was he who recognized me on the spot! He walked over to me, though his expression didn't look particularly inviting. Vulpix seemed to remember him, as she clawed at my arm a bit before she growled at the kid.

"I remember you," he said, scoffing at Vulpix. "We met a few weeks ago, on Route 30."

"Really?" I thought back, but couldn't quite place the kid on the spot. My response agitated him a bit more.

"Of course, you don't remember me. I'm sure it's hard for a cheater to keep up with all the people she's cheated." That instantly sparked a fire in my mind.

"You're that kid! The one with the Zubat and Rattata!" He nodded, opening his jacket to show off his much larger collection of Pokeballs this time. A full compliment of six, and he looked eager to get back at me for that battle.

"You know the rules, cheater. I challenge you to a Pokemon battle!" He picked one of the Pokeballs from the jacket, and prepared to launch it. Fortunately, he was cut off by someone behind him.

"Kid! No battling on the ferry!" We both looked to see a man with a fancy sailor's hat, most likely the captain.

"What? But I challenged her! She has to battle!"

"My ship, my rules, son. You want to fight that bad, take it out on the shore. I won't be stopping this ferry from leaving on time, though."

The kid wasn't liking the captain's rules much, and he shot me a glare. He'd give anything to force me off the ferry for that battle, but I wasn't about to oblige him. The Pokemon from the lighthouse was a greater priority.

"Sorry, but I need to get to Cianwood. We can battle over there, if you want." I picked up Vulpix and moved to a different seat, not wanting to cause any more trouble. If the captain said anything else to the kid, I didn't hear it.

Once the ferry pulled out of the dock, everything seemed to settle down a bit. I asked around, and heard the trip would take a few hours, so that meant I could enjoy the cool ocean breeze and surprisingly warm weather that day. The ferry would sail through Route 41, which cut right through the Whirl Islands. According to the legends of Ecruteak City, the Pokemon that once lived atop the Burned Tower now resided somewhere on those islands. Much as I wanted to go exploring to see if it was true, I had other matters to attend to. If the Articuno legend was true back on the Seafoam Islands, I'm sure the critter on these was also real.

My enjoyment of the breeze was cut short by the kid again after only a few minutes out at sea. I didn't want to cause trouble, so I tried to ignore him and mind my own business. That is, until he actually started talking to me, and Vulpix stopped growling at him.

"Listen," he said, his tone much softer than before, "I'm sorry about what I said earlier."

"Oh?" I turned to look at him, noticing his head was hanging. For a moment, he really looked apologetic.

"I was angry, and I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything I said back there, or the first time we met." He seemed sincere enough; add to the fact he couldn't even make direct eye contact. Though, that could mean he was lying through his teeth.

"I'm Star, what's your name?" For the first time, the kid looked at me directly. His eyes were glassy, as if he had been holding back tears.

"Charlie." I smiled at Charlie, and offered him a seat next to me. Vulpix moved out of the way, but didn't take her eyes off him.

"I didn't cheat, you know. You just sucked at battling." A cruel, cold, not to mention blunt way of saying it. I admit I could've used a bit more tact.

"I know," he replied, much to my shock. "Plus, you're a girl. I didn't want to lose, much less to a girl."

"Hey, it's okay!" I said, giving him a friendly nudge with my fist. "Worse things than losing to a girl, trust me."

"Prove it." He looked at me dead on. I tried to come up with a worse alternative, and remembered something that happened to me.

"You could lose to a girl gym leader! There's this leader in Saffron City, see. And if you lose to her, she turns you into a baby!"

"What? No way, that's impossible." He said, looking at me with shifty eyes.

"It's true! Scared me to death when it happened!"

It was quite a delight to talk so freely with someone, to be honest. Being on the road for so long with just Vulpix, the only other persons I met being trainers only interested in fighting, you tend to feel cooped up inside yourself. Charlie may have started off like any other trainer encounter, but with battling prohibited on the ferry, it finally allowed us to see each other as more than just the puppeteers pulling the Pokemon's strings. More importantly, I finally got to poke fun at my own terrors, most notably the battle with Sabrina. Charlie even had a few tales of his own to share, though they weren't as colorful as mine. Not to be self-centered, but compared to most trainers, I was having quite the journey.

After we shared stories for a little while, our attention was drawn to a school of Pokemon swimming alongside the ferry. Everyone on board was rushing to the deck, trying to catch glimpses or pictures with cameras. Since we had taken a seat next to the railing, all we had to do was look over it to see the Pokemon. They were a kind I had never seen before, so of course I pulled out my Pokedex to scan the critters.

"Mantine, the Kite Pokemon. Swimming freely in open seas, it may fly out of the water and over the waves if it builds up enough speed."

Just as the Pokedex finished explaining, the Mantine actually leapt from the water, flying alongside the ferry. The people on board were all left astonished, snapping pictures furiously. Even Charlie could hardly contain his wonder. Vulpix barked at the flying Pokemon, too excited to sit still in the seat. I grabbed her and held her against the railing, just to make sure she didn't go overboard.

The Mantine flew alongside the ferry until it had to turn westward to arrive at Cianwood. By now, most of the other passengers had gone back to their own conversations, so few saw when the Mantine returned to the ocean.

"Amazing, right, Star?" Charlie commented after the last of the Pokemon had vanished under the waves.

"Yeah," I said, looking out over the ocean, "makes me happy knowing I set out on this adventure."

"Me too." Charlie gave me a smile, an expression better suited to the boy. I smiled back at him, and was nearly caught as Charlie moved in for a kiss! I stopped his puckered lips with my hand.

"Whoa, there. What's that?" I pushed him back to his side of the bench.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't-I mean," he looked extremely flustered, like he wasn't sure himself what he was doing. I couldn't believe it.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, too. Don't try to kiss me again, okay?"

Charlie nodded silently, and looked away, blushing a hot red all over. After a few seconds, the tension was too much for him, and he excused himself for a moment. I giggled, and looked to Vulpix, who wasn't sure what was going on. I scratched her behind the ears. Yet another boy bewitched by my charm? I was quite magnetic.


	37. The Mighty Chuckster!

The Mighty Chuckster! ...Chapter 37

Once the ferry docked in Cianwood City, I was one of the last people to get off. I stopped by the captain's cabin, and asked him when the ferry was set to depart again, even letting him know I was running an errand for the Pokemon of the lighthouse. Because the lighthouse was out, he'd have to leave earlier than usual, giving me a timeframe of no more than three or four hours to do what I had to in the city. I couldn't remember the last time I just took my time wandering around a city without a clear goal.

Once off the ship, I lost track of Charlie, which was just fine, considering the little stunt he pulled on the ship. My first stop was to be the pharmacy, which was just a few minutes away, and right across from the gym, like Preston told me. I walked inside, and was instantly greeted by that medicine smell you get from doctor's offices and hospitals. There was a woman tending the counter, though she was busy messing around with all sorts of bottles and potions to notice me walk in.

I told Vulpix not to touch anything, though that hardly did any good. The first thing she did was try and touch a large pill bottle, which she promptly knocked over and caused a huge mess in the aisle.

"Hello? Who's there?" The woman ran around to my side of the counter, catching sight of Vulpix just as she ran to hide behind my legs.

"I'm sorry," I said, dropping to my knees to clean up after my Pokemon. "I'll clean this up, I promise!"

"Thanks, I don't have much time to clean it myself, anyway. What do you want?"

"Well, I've come from Olivine City," I said, reaching into my bag to produce Preston's handkerchief. "I need to pick up some special medicine for the lighthouse Pokemon."

The woman took the small cloth, examining it for only a moment. She nodded to herself, and ran back around the counter. I finished cleaning up Vulpix's mess, and scolded her for not listening. I went up to the counter, and watched as the woman prepared some kind of liquid in a bottle. Once it was filled and sealed with a childproof cap, hopefully not to prevent me from drinking it, the woman turned around and handed me the bottle and handkerchief.

"Is this it?" I took the items and stored them safely in my 'key items' pocket. What? I had my bag organized with compartments!

"Yup, just tell Jasmine to apply that to the Pokemon's skin and for it to drink a few drops, and only a few. It should perk right up, and be healthy as a Rapidash in a day."

"Thank you, and I'm sorry again about the mess Vulpix made." I gave the woman a bow, and she forgave my Pokemon with a small handwave.

"Don't worry about it. Tell that lazy oaf Preston to stop sending kids to do his own chores for me, will ya?"

"Um... okay," I said, unsure how to respond to that. Before I walked out the door, I remembered one last thing I had to pick up while here. "I almost forgot! I need medicine for the Miltank at Moo Moo Farm."

"Running yet another errand, now for that whale Martha?" The woman asked with a raised eyebrow. I would consider Martha to be a large woman, but calling her a whale was more than an insult.

"Her Miltank is sick, and I offered to pick up some medicine for her, since I was coming this way." Though now that I thought about it, I hadn't even asked what was wrong with Miltank in the first place.

"Here," said the woman, handing me what looked like a dried tree root wrapped in plastic. I took the... thing... and put it in the same pocket of my bag.

"Is this it? I don't even know what's wrong with Miltank."

"Martha gave me a call a couple days ago. I hadn't gotten around to mailing that, is all. Can't count on that whale to pick it up in person, either." For a person dedicated to helping people and Pokemon with medicines, she was surprisingly lazy and critical of others. I kept that comment to myself, however.

"Well, thank you for everything. I should be going, now." I gave her a bow and let myself out of the pharmacy as quickly as I could without seeming rude.

Vulpix was feeling a bit down after I yelled at her in the pharmacy, so she kept some distance between us. With the medicine in my possession, there was really only one task remaining for me, and that was right across the street. Before I could cross, though, Vulpix started barking at something to the north. I looked over in that direction, and just barely caught a glimpse of something blue run away. Curious, I started running towards it, Vulpix leading the way.

"Quick, girl! Follow it!"

Vulpix went into a full sprint, leaving me behind to catch up. A few people noticed us running, but since the blue blur had long since vanished, I guess they thought I was chasing Vulpix instead. At the north end of town, Vulpix was barking at a large Pokemon. I dug around my bag for my Pokedex, but unfortunately the critter was spooked by something and instantly took off again. I watched as it ran across the ocean's surface towards the Whirl Islands. At that moment, I heard someone run up behind me, gasping for breath as he caught the rear end of the Pokemon before it vanished on the horizon.

"Blast! I nearly had it!" The man pulled out a notepad and made a few notes on it before turning his attention to myself.

"What was that?" I asked, not expecting him to practically blow up at me.

"You ruined my chance to study Suicune! Just what did you think you were doing, girl?" Vulpix stepped between the man and me, growling at him and forcing him to back off.

"What? Suicune? Vulpix just saw something and started chasing it. I didn't know what it was." I explained in my defense.

"Oh, never mind. Looks like I'll have to cross the ocean yet again to catch him." The man turned to leave, but I ran to stop him.

"Wait! Who are you, and what was that Pokemon?" He sighed, but chose to answer.

"My name is Eusine. I'm a Pokemon Researcher and scholar. That Pokemon was Suicune, a legendary beast that calls the entirety of Johto its home. I've been hot on its trail for the past two years, but have yet to catch more than a glimpse of it." He focused his eyes on me, which made me feel slightly uncomfortable.

"Y-Yes? What is it?"

"How is it that you were able to stare him down for so long, so easily? Every time I get close, Suicune sprints off in a different direction, yet it stood still before you. Who are you?"

"I'm Star, a Pokemon trainer. This is Vulpix, my best friend." I offered a handshake to Eusine, but he instead sized me up.

"So Suicune remained stationary for a Pokemon trainer? Perhaps this was the detail I had been lacking all this time! I must go."

And just like that, Eusine ran off again. He was an odd man, to be sure, but I knew his kind from my travels all too well. I don't know if he ever caught that Pokemon Suicune, but I hope that encounter helped him out.

~o~

Cianwood's gym was quite a sight to behold from the inside. The arena was there, as usual, but the real spectacle was the beautiful waterfall on the leader's side of the building. Sitting underneath the crashing falls was Chuck, the leader. Unlike every other gym I had been to, his name was plastered all over the walls of his gym. Most of it was from news clippings where he had won some kind of tournament or another. With all that water clogging his ears, he didn't hear me as I called out to him, forcing me to walk across the arena to get his attention.

"Excuse me! Chuck!" I was screaming at the top of my lungs from just a couple feet away, and still he didn't hear me. Because he was sitting in the middle of a pool, I couldn't get any closer to poke him without getting soaked myself. I looked down at Vulpix, who was just as confused on how to get his attention.

I looked up at the source of the waterfall, trying to see if there was some way to stop the water. Of course, all this was a grand waste of time, as there was quite literally a switch next to the waterfall to turn it off. Vulpix pointed at it, so I walked around the pool and switched it off. After a few seconds, the waterfall diminished to a few droplets, though Chuck still looked like he was lost in deep meditation.

"Hello? Chuck?" I leaned in close, and realized the issue. He wasn't meditating, he was asleep! Under a waterfall? No wonder he was starting to get fat!

"Vulpix, tackle him."

It was strange for Vulpix to be ordered to attack a person directly, but she executed my command swiftly. The blow to Chuck's pot belly finally brought him back to the waking world, if a bit disoriented.

"Wha-? Who dares disturb my meditation?" He made a motion to get out of the pool, but slipped and fell back in. I tried to contain my laugh, but a few giggles escaped me. Chuck crawled out of the pool at last, and after drying off a bit with a towel, finally took notice of me.

"Something funny, girl? Who are you?"

"I'm sorry, I couldn't stop myself. My name is Star, sir. I've come to challenge you to a Pokemon battle." I offered my hand in greeting and apology, but Chuck didn't take it.

"Sure thing. I've meditated enough for today," he said with a hearty yawn. I didn't want to cause anymore trouble, so I didn't bring up the fact he had been out cold under the waterfall. He threw his towel over his shoulder, but missed it somehow, causing it to land in the pool. Once he noticed, he scrambled to get it out, but the garment was already soaked through.

"Darn, wife won't like this." He mumbled to himself.

"Oh, you're married, Chuck?" This was the first time I met a gym leader with an actual family, Brock's siblings aside. Always felt like being a leader took away your time to have a life of your own.

"That's right! Though Tara's not always happy with me. She says I don't spend enough time with her." Chuck threw his soaked towel on the floor, no doubt hoping that would do the trick and let it dry out. I sighed, and picked it up, throwing it over a set of weights just beside the waterfall.

"I see you're good at housework." He said with a chuckle.

"And not because I'm a girl!" I pouted. Chuck let out a bellow of a laugh, no doubt finding the image of me with my hands on my hips simply adorable.

"I don't have a lot of time, Chuck. Can we get started?" I quickly explained my situation, with the ferry being set to depart soon and the sick Pokemon of the lighthouse.

"Say no more! Let's get this battle over with! Should you lose, which probably will happen, I'll just challenge you again in Olivine, so that you don't miss the ferry back!"

Nothing wrong with Chuck feeling confident, but I was certain I'd defeat him on my first try. I ran back across the arena, setting myself up for the battle. Chuck released his first Pokemon, a Primeape, which hit right where it hurt. All Pokemon essentially looked alike, so it was hard not seeing my own critter in the Primeape across from me. Chuck, despite being rather dense on other fronts, noticed my discomfort right away.

"Something wrong, Star?" I shook my head.

"No, it's nothing. What are the rules?" I quickly learned Chuck had superb eyesight, as from over thirty feet away, he noticed a single tear escape my eye. He recalled Primeape, and ran across the arena.

"Star? There's something bothering ya, what is it?"

"It's just... I had a Primeape until recently. He died, because this bad man- trainer,- used an illegal move in battle. Just hurt to see another Primeape, is all." As I talked, I felt my eyes well up, but I did my best to keep it all in. Chuck offered me a bit of consolation, patting my shoulder.

"Truly sorry, Star. If you'd like, I can use other Pokemon, make you feel better?"

"No, it'd be unfair. Let's just start the match." I didn't want to cry my way to an easier victory, no matter how effective that was. Chuck nodded, and walked back across the arena, this time releasing a Poliwrath.

"There are no rules, Star! Give me everything ya got!"

I chose Beedrill as my first Pokemon, hoping the flying advantage he had would offset the bug type disadvantage. I was fighting an uphill battle, and I knew it wouldn't be easy.

"Poliwrath, Focus Punch!"

"Beedrill, fly up high!"

Poliwrath charged towards Beedrill, but the yellow Pokemon took to the sky, where Poliwrath's punch had no chance of reaching him. I'd have to play keep away with Beedrill's attacks to slowly but surely defeat Chuck. Not the best strategy considering my limited time on the island.

"Beedrill, Posion Sting!"

"Poliwrath, Seismic Toss!"

The large blue Pokemon readied itself, hoping to catch Beedrill when he moved in for the attack. What Poliwrath didn't know was that Beedrill didn't have to get very close to use his attack! The large bee dove in, but stopped just a few feet short of Poliwrath to launch a stinger projectile directly at Poliwrath's chest. The Pokemon, caught off guard completely, hunched forward, trying to null the pain. Fortunately, after he recovered from the blow, he showed signs of fatigue. The poison had got to him.

"That's it! Use Surf!"

"Beedrill, fly up high again!"

Confident that any attack in Poliwrath's arsenal couldn't reach Beedrill, I stood cocky on my end of the arena. However, my confidence started to dissolve and merge with the growing mass of water surrounding Poliwrath, whose body flashed blue for a split second. Before I could order a counterattack, the mass of water propelled Poliwrath sky high, a huge tidal wave following him. Beedrill froze in place as the wave came crashing down on him, washing both critters away. I covered myself as best I could, trying not to be soaked by the splash of the wave as it crashed back down.

When I could see again, and the waters had receded, I saw Beedrill on the ground. Poliwrath stood over him, his arms raised high in victory. Chuck started cheering himself on as well, though I was left utterly shocked at the display. How had Poliwrath managed to summon up all that water out of no where?

"Choose your next Pokemon, Star! Don't forget, you're on the clock!" I recalled Beedrill, and went with Ariados as my next choice. Once Chuck noticed the critter, he scratched his head. "You got a thing for bugs?"

"No, they just happen to flock around me. Ariados, use String Shot!"

"Focus Punch, Poliwrath! Knock it outta here!"

Poliwrath rushed Ariados down, his fist pulled back and ready to strike down my Pokemon. Ariados flashed green for a second, which shocked me. Tensions were clearly high, and Ariados proved it with his amazing new ability. I checked the Pokedex to see just what this new move was; Spider Web. Ariados launched a mass of sticky substance on Poliwrath, completely encasing him. Unlike the normal String Shot, however, there was no hope for Poliwrath to escape this time.

"Ariados, use Pin Missile!"

"Poliwrath, get out of that, NOW!"

Ariados aimed the two legs on its back at the mass of web, propelling itself forward to drive them into Poliwrath. After the attack was done, Ariados pulled back, and drove them in again from a different angle. And again, from a third, fourth and fifth angle. After this, the white mass stopped shaking, and Ariados went through the trouble of cutting through it. Inside, Poliwrath was knocked out completely. Chuck recalled the Pokemon, and released the Primeape from earlier.

"Alright, Primeape, Seismic Toss!"

"Ariados, use Psychic!"

Primeape ran in for the kill, but was stopped entirely just before he touched Ariados. The monkey stood there, frozen for a few seconds, until he was sent flying at rocket speed towards Chuck. Rather than move out of the way, Chuck held his ground, intending to catch his Pokemon. The monkey crashed into Chuck, sending both flying backwards and into the pool.

"Chuck! Are you okay?" I didn't run over to check on him, not wanting to lose the match on a technicality. Not that Chuck would do something so cheap to win, but I didn't want to take that chance. After a few moments, Chuck crawled out of the pool again, carrying his Primeape with him.

"Looks like ya win, Star. Poor Primeape's out cold."

~o~

I waved farewell to Chuck from the deck of the ferry. He asked me to share his best wishes with Jasmine and the Pokemon of the lighthouse, but sadly couldn't take the trip with me. After my victory, and he handed me the Stormbadge, his wife busted into the gym, demanding that Chuck get home right away. It was quite a hilarious sight, seeing that large tough guy hang his head in shame as his wife scolded him right in front of me. She was probably half his size, too!

As the ferry pulled away from Cianwood, I asked someone sitting nearby if I could borrow their camera, hoping to take a single picture of the beautiful beach in the sunset.

"Oh, don't worry," said the girl I had asked, "I already took like three of them! If you want, I can give you a copy when I get it developed at Olivine. What's your name?"

"I'm Star, and thanks!"

"I'm Yunie. You a Pokemon trainer?" I nodded, taking note of Yunie's appearance. She was dressed similarly to me, sporting a yellow shirt with a denim skirt, her hair held back in a ponytail with a large blue ribbon.

"Yeah, I was running some errands in Cianwood for a few friends." I gave her a quick recap of my trip to Cianwood, and why I was there.

"How nice of you. Staying in Olivine City after you're done?"

"No, I think I'll head back east," I told her, checking the map on my Pokegear. "There are still two more gym badges I have to collect from the region."

"You're trying to get into the Pokemon League?"

"No, collecting badges is just a hobby of sorts," I said. It was a strange hobby, to be sure.

"Well, have you ever been to Hoenn? I'm heading there for a couple photo shoots in a couple weeks."

"Actually, I was thinking about going there myself! Is there a ship headed there soon?" I asked, remembering my chat with Mom. If everything panned out correctly, I'd have to call her tonight and arrange for her to send me that money.

"The SS Aqua leaves from Olivine City for Hoenn in a couple weeks, actually. I have a ticket already, see?" Yunie reached into her backpack, and showed me her ticket, the logo clearly visible on the piece of plastic.

"That's so cool! But you're not a trainer, are you?"

"Kinda. I don't like battling much, so I only do it when I absolutely have to. I also only have one Pokemon." Yunie dug around her backpack, pulling out a Pokeball that had been decorated with countless stickers. She released the critter inside, a little yellow Pokemon that resembled a Pikachu, only not quite. It was a Pichu.

"How cute!" I reached out to pet the critter, though its cheeks started to let out a few sparks when I got close. Vulpix moved up on the bench, barking at the Pokemon for a bit, then hearing out Pichu's response.

"Her name's Starly, I got her as a gift when I was little. I never wanted to be a Pokemon trainer, so it was an odd gift, but we became friends quickly." Yunie picked Starly up, hugging the Pokemon closely.

"So what do you do?" I eyed her camera, and silently guessed photography.

"I'm a photographer, though not professional yet. I'm practicing, though!" She showed me her camera, seeming quite proud of her path in life.

The trip back to Olivine was quite joyous with Yunie at my side. Like my trip to Cianwood with Charlie, I had lucked out and made something of a friend along the way. Because Yunie and I hit it off so well, I knew I'd have a great friend to talk with on the voyage to Hoenn in the coming weeks. All I had to do now was call Mom to arrange it all.


	38. Battle of Metal

Battle of Metal, Chapter 38

The sun had just set by the time we arrived back in Olivine City. The lighthouse was still dark, meaning the Pokemon still hadn't recovered. I asked Yunie if she would accompany me to the lighthouse, but she had other plans.

"I have a few things to do in the city first," she said, her Pichu walking alongside her on the pier. "Sorry. I'll see you in a couple weeks, though! That is, if you're still planning on traveling to Hoenn with me?"

"Well, I have to make sure I can arrange it all, first. You'll be staying here in Olivine until then, right?" Most of the trip back I pondered how best to acquire the money from Mom and still get to visit the last couple gyms.

"Then I guess we'll see each other in a couple weeks! If you manage to get back before, though, I live here..." Yunie dug in her bag for a scrap of paper, then wrote something down on it. "Just swing by, since I'll probably be there."

"Alright, I will! Bye, Yunie!"

The girl waved as she walked off, and I went in a separate direction towards the lighthouse. While we were on the ferry, she told me of her employment under Professor Elm, who wanted pictures of Pokemon in their natural habitat. Lucky for Yunie, being my age and already working. Not that I was particularly jealous, since I was enjoying my 'job' as a Pokemon trainer. But it did get me thinking a bit about what I wanted to do when I grew up. Though that was still a long ways off.

I made it back to the lighthouse just as the last of the sunlight vanished from the sky. Inside, the halls were just as dark and eerie as outside, if not moreso. Vulpix led the way, coughing up small bursts of flame to keep the stairs lit so I wouldn't trip and hurt myself. Up on the second floor, I saw Preston standing against the wall, still staring at that newspaper even in the dark. He took notice of me right away, given the flashes of light coming from Vulpix.

"Star, I take it you've brought the medicine?" He stashed the paper under his arm, and tipped his hat to me. I dug the bottle of medicine out of my bag.

"Here it is! The lady at the pharmacy told me that you have to apply it to the Pokemon directly, and make it drink only a few drops." I offered it to Preston, but he refused to take it.

"Go on, you can inform Jasmine yourself. Best hurry along, that poor Pokemon is probably in great pain."

The older man finally moved to a side, allowing Vulpix to run ahead. I followed after her, treading slowly on the way up the next flight of stairs. Up on the third floor, there was some semblance of lighting, most of it coming from the next stairwell down the hall. I took the lead at this point, replacing the medicine bottle in my bag to be safe. After another flight of stairs, there was yet one more hallway to follow, and one final stairway to climb.

Up on the fifth floor, it was like being in a completely different place. The walls were lined in pink wallpaper, sporting a design of various cute Pokemon. In the center of the room there was a spiral staircase leading up to the top of the lighthouse, as well as a place for the Pokemon to sleep. By the large yellow critter was a girl, tending to the downed Pokemon. Vulpix ran up to both of them, startling the girl slightly. Vulpix only looked at her briefly, turning her attention to the Pokemon.

"Who are you?" She stood up, taking a step towards the Pokemon, as if to protect it. Her voice hardly left the range of a whisper.

"I'm Star, a Pokemon trainer. The man downstairs, Preston, asked me to rush the medicine from Cianwood here. I just got back." I pulled out the bottle, and handed it to her.

"The lady said to apply it on him, and for him to drink only a few drops." I instructed.

"Her," she corrected me in a soft whisper. "Amphy is a girl."

"Sorry." I walked over to Amphy, who was looking pretty bad, but Vulpix was having a pretty heated debate with the Pokemon.

"I'm Jasmine, by the way." The girl introduced herself, but kept her hands close to her chest.

Jasmine ran over to the desk on the other side of the room, collecting a few supplies to prepare the medicine. After extracting some of the medicine with a dropper, she applied the rest to a piece of cloth. I backed away from Amphy, dragging Vulpix with me. Jasmine asked the Pokemon to turn over, and she started rubbing the cloth all over her belly and neck. Once she was done, she gave Amphy the few drops from the dropper. Like the woman had said, Amphy was starting to look much healthier already.

"She's looking better!" I said, shocked at the speed of the recovery. If only medicine for people worked that fast.

"Yes, I'm glad. Thank you, Star, for your help." Jasmine stroked the Pokemon's face gently, making sure she was comfortable.

"No problem! Is there anything else I can help you with?" I didn't want to go right out and ask for a Pokemon battle, but I wasn't very good at beating around the bush.

"No, you've done more than enough. I can take care of Amphy from here on out." Jasmine spoke in such a soft tone, I couldn't be sure if she was asking me to leave, or just being sincere.

"Okay, well, I'll see you around. I hope you feel better, Amphy!"

Jasmine let me go without another word. Sure, I was feeling pretty good having helped out that Pokemon, and soon enough it would get right back to lighting the way for ships. But why was Jasmine so... unfriendly? Considering she looked not only cute, but very pretty, why was she so quiet and straightforward? Well, I let myself ponder this all the way back to the Pokemon Center. I was tired after an entire day of travel, and I could sure use something to eat and some sleep.

Tomorrow, I'd show up at the city gym, and we'd do battle like it was any other day. I still found it a bit hard to believe Jasmine was the leader, but I guess they come in all shapes and sizes. In another reality, I might've become one, I guess. That was a thought to sleep on.

~o~

The Olivine City gym looked to be closed the next morning. The shades were down inside, and since it was tucked away in a corner of the city, I wouldn't be surprised if people didn't know there was a gym here. I tried peeking through the windows, but couldn't see past the blinds. I knocked on the door a few times, but there was no answer.

"You think she's still at the lighthouse, Vulpix?" I looked down at my Pokemon, who was trying to claw her way into the building.

"Actually, she still is." I spun around, seeing Preston standing behind me.

"Preston! You scared me there," I said, clutching my chest. The old man chuckled.

"My apologies. You seek to challenge Jasmine, I take it?"

"Yeah, can she make it today?" The sooner I battled her, the sooner I could be off. Worst case scenario, I'd leave Jasmine for last and battle her before I left for Hoenn.

"I believe she can, though she spent the night over at the lighthouse. You should go and see her yourself. I'll set up the gym for your battle in the meantime." I stepped out of the way, allowing the old man to unlock the doors to the gym.

"You work here?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

"You could say that. I've been taking care of this gym since before it became an actual gym. When Jasmine took over as gym leader, she entrusted me with the care of the place. She was always stuck in that lighthouse, you see."

"Oh? So that Pokemon, Amphy, is hers?" Preston nodded, finally opening the last of the gym's three locks.

"Yes ma'am. She loves that Pokemon to death, but rather than use it in battle, she allows it to light the way for ships. Girl has the kindest heart I've ever seen. I love her like she were my own daughter." Preston opened the gym door, but turned to face me directly one last time. His attention was diverted, though, by Jasmine herself! She walked up to us, a slight blush on her face.

"Preston! I overheard you talking about me..." She tried to conceal her face from me, so I lent her a hand by looking away a bit.

"Nothing fiendish, I assure you. Star here just wanted to challenge the gym leader." The old man removed his hat in Jasmine's presence, stepping aside to let her into the gym.

"If you say so," she said, finally turning her attention to me. "Please, come inside. We can start momentarily."

Unlike other gyms, this one wasn't set up in the least with any noticeable motifs. The walls were painted a dull gray, the arena was clearly marked in black paint, though the floor was also that same dull gray color. I slipped my foot out of my sandal for a moment, and felt the ground. It was concrete, unpolished and rough. A slip and fall here would scrape my knees through and through. Jasmine walked across the arena to her side, while Preston took a spot on the sidelines on my end of the arena.

"You're going to support me, Preston?" I asked the elder gentleman. He tipped his hat towards me as he spoke.

"Not exactly. I will merely act as a spectator. I have always enjoyed watching Jasmine do battle, see. She almost turns into a completely different person."

I didn't see that as strange. After all, when I got into the heat of a battle, I seemed to forget everything else around me, and I often caught myself in the process, completely morphed into a battle junkie. Of course, Jasmine was quite demure compared to me, so I was actually eager to see how she'd turn out. While she was digging about her desk on the other end of the arena, I leaned in close to Preston.

"What kind of Pokemon does she use, Preston?"

"She specializes in the steel type," he said, keeping his voice down. "Best prepare yourself for a difficult battle, Star."

Indeed, I quickly reached for my Pokedex, mashing buttons on the little red device to find information on steel type Pokemon. There weren't many listed, but the Pokedex did warn of the type's amazing durability and few weaknesses. To my surprise, fire was one of the type's known weaknesses, which eased my fears a bit. Vulpix would be a great asset in this battle.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to take so long." Jasmine took her position, two Pokeballs in her hands.

"It's okay! What are the rules?"

"Two Pokemon against two. Let me thank you again, for yesterday. But know, that won't influence today's battle. I will give it my all, and you should, too."

"Wouldn't have it any other way!" I smiled at her.

Jasmine nodded, and threw one of the Pokeballs out onto the field, releasing a Magnemite. I quickly remembered the incident at the power plant in Kanto, so Vulpix wouldn't have any trouble taking it out. I ordered my faithful critter out onto the field. With the sound of a bell, rung by Preston of course, the battle began.

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

"Magnemite, use Sonic Boom!"

The small floating Pokemon charged up some energy in its two magnet arms, releasing a burst of energy towards Vulpix. She leapt over the shockwave, releasing her blast of flames all over Magnemite. After a few seconds, Vulpix landed back on the ground, and Magnemite crashed onto the ground. It was a one hit wonder!

"Magnemite, return!" The small Pokemon was housed back in its Pokeball. If this was all Jasmine was capable of, this battle would be over in no time flat.

"It seems I've underestimated you, Star. Very well, don't disappoint me now!" Jasmine threw her second and final Pokeball onto the arena. The device exploded into a flash of light, and a massive figure emerged from the miniature cage. It was far larger in size than anything I had ever seen before, even bigger than Onix! I aimed my Pokedex at the beast, trying to identify it.

"Steelix, the Iron Snake Pokemon. Its body has been compressed deep under the ground. As a result, it is even harder than a diamond."

"Whoa..." I stared in awe at the massive Pokemon before us. Vulpix would be mistaken for a bug type compared to that thing. She held her ground, though, ready to battle with all her might.

"Steelix, Iron Tail!"

"Vulpix, Quick Attack!"

Of course, I knew very well that move wouldn't even scratch Steelix, but I had to buy myself some time to plan a strategy. Such a massive Pokemon wouldn't go down in just a few attacks, meaning I'd have to pace myself to whittle it away with fire attacks. None of my other Pokemon could stand a chance against this thing, so it was all up to Vulpix. Steelix swung its massive tail, but missed Vulpix just as she vanished from sight.

"Vulpix, Ember!"

Vulpix reappeared just behind Steelix, spinning around in place a few times to shower Steelix with small fires. The Pokemon felt the burn, and retaliated without awaiting for Jasmine's order. It's massive tail swung with almost lightning-fast speed, striking Vulpix high into the air.

"Steelix, Tackle, but softly!"

Confused at her order, I watched as Steelix caught Vulpix with his mouth out of the air, then chucked her towards me. I managed to catch Vulpix out of the air, avoiding any further harm from landing on the hard concrete.

"Vulpix, you okay?" She opened her eyes, but was hardly moving. That one attack had taken her out almost instantly.

"I hope your Pokemon is okay!" Jasmine sounded like her usual self, if just a bit excited all of a sudden. I put Vulpix down on the ground beside me, unsure how to proceed at this point. None of my other critters could hope to stand up to Steelix.

"Star, will you be choosing another Pokemon?" Jasmine called out to me. I wouldn't be able to stall-

Then it hit me.

I reached for Eevee's Pokeball, and released the small Pokemon out on the field. Of course, his reaction to seeing Steelix was to be expected. Both Preston and Jasmine looked at each other like I had just lost my mind. Anyone would think so, I guess.

"Star, are you sure you want to continue the battle like this?" Preston asked me, no doubt concerned over Eevee's welfare.

"I am." I did my best to sound confident, though I it would only take one false step on either my part or Eevee's for this plan to backfire entirely. Preston turned back to Jasmine and nodded.

"Very well. Steelix, Iron Tail!"

"Eevee, use Quick Attack and dodge!"

The large snake Pokemon sent his gigantic tail crashing down onto the field, but missed Eevee by quite a margin. My eyes remained glued to the Pokemon's expression, however. Just like before, without even awaiting a command from Jasmine, Steelix moved to strike Eevee with its tail again from the side.

"Eevee, jump!"

It was a close call, but Eevee managed to leap high enough into the air to avoid the second attack by Steelix. I noticed Jasmine pout a little, so I figured the follow-up attack was a tactic she used often with Steelix. I'd never go so far as to say it was a cheat, but it was a bit cheap. I looked down at Vulpix, who was watching the battle intently. One look at me, and she knew what I wanted her to do. It was cruel of me to even ask, but victory rode on her this time.

"Steelix, Bind!" Jasmine shouted.

"Eevee, keep away!"

Steelix moved in with its tail to ensnare Eevee, but my Pokemon was quick enough on its feet to avoid the larger critter. I shot another glance at Vulpix, who was making an honest effort to stand up again. Eevee was just out there to buy Vulpix some time to recover, after all. I'm pretty sure Jasmine noticed it as well, so why she was being so lenient during the battle was beyond me. Was she going easy on me on purpose?

"Steelix, Screech!"

That answered my question. Steelix let out a cry so sharp, even my ears started ringing. Eevee instinctively went to block out the sound, only to get swept up by Steelix's tail in the moment he remained stationary. He tried to break free of Steelix's grip, but there was no way that was going to happen.

"Steelix, just give him a little squeeze, okay?" Jasmine asked in her usual soft voice.

The Pokemon nodded, looked to Eevee, then moved to drop the Pokemon onto me. At first, I thought Steelix hadn't done anything, but Eevee landed in my arms knocked out completely. I tried waking him up, but he wouldn't be battling anymore today.

"Star, I'm afraid you've lost this battle."

I put Eevee back in his Pokeball, and looked down at Vulpix. She was back on her feet, but still clearly sluggish and tired. Sending her back out now would only serve to cause her far more pain. I let my head hang low for a moment.

"You win," I said. I had no choice but to admit it.

It was at this moment that I noticed Vulpix was standing before Steelix, back out on the arena.

"Star? Didn't you just forfeit?" Jasmine asked.

"Vulpix! Are you sure?" My faithful little fox looked back at me, nodding her head. She looked tired and beaten, but still she stood tall against Steelix. Nothing short of a miracle would win this battle for me now. I wanted to tell Vulpix to come back, to call it quits. But deep down, I knew I had to keep going.

"Vulpix still wants to fight," I said. "We'll continue battling, if that's alright with you.

Jasmine remained silent for a moment. I had already thrown in the towel, so it was completely within her power to deny my request and claim victory. A part of me actually wanted her to do that, for Vulpix's sake.

"Very well," she finally said. "Steelix, Tackle!"

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

The large snake closed in on Vulpix. The closer it got to her, the more I worried why she hadn't used her attack yet. The few seconds it took for Steelix to close the distance between them seemed to drag on, to the point I started screaming.

"Vulpix! Run!"

I had panicked, but Vulpix had somehow managed to keep her cool. Once Steelix's face was practically within spitting range, Vulpix blasted the Pokemon with a spray of flames. The large steel snake pulled back in pain, but it still had plenty of energy left. That was when it happened. Vulpix leapt as high as she could into the air, and used Flamethrower again. How she had managed to muster up all that energy I'll never know, but the second Flamethrower ended up being more powerful than the first. Steelix was engulfed entirely in flames for only a moment, but that was all it took.

When the attack ended, Vulpix landed back on the ground, her legs shaking. Steelix remained upright, but he was clearly burned and charred. If he so much as breathed on Vulpix at this point, she'd surely tumble and be out for good. The air was hot and tense for a few seconds.

The large snake flashed red for a moment before it was drained into its Pokeball on the other side of the arena. With her opponent gone, Vulpix let out a small bark before collapsing on the ground. Jasmine walked across the arena towards me, while I ran to Vulpix's side. She was now exhausted completely, and collapsed in my arms. Jasmine kneeled down before me, offering me two things in her hands.

"Here," she said as she handed me the items. "Take this for your Pokemon, and this Mineralbadge. Congratulations."

I sprayed the potion she gave me on Vulpix, which quickly renewed her energy. She still needed plenty of rest, but at least she wasn't in as much pain now. I took the badge and put it in my bag, intent on attaching it to my card later on.

"Thanks, Jasmine. That was one of my hardest battles." Not to mention one we managed on sheer luck alone, I guess. I picked up Vulpix, and stood up myself. Jasmine and I locked eyes, this being the first time since we met.

"It-" she started, but stopped short. After a deep breath, and a smile, she continued, "It was an honor to battle you. I hope we see each other again, Star."


	39. The Road to Mahogany

The Road to Mahogany, Chapter 39

The phone rang a few times before someone picked it up. It was pretty early in the morning, so it didn't surprise me. Mom wasn't exactly a morning person.

"Hello? Who is it?" She said groggily on the line.

"It's me, Mom."

I heard some scrambling about on the other end, before the monitor switched on. Mom's hair was a mess, and she had dark bags under her eyes. I rarely got to see her like this, because she had a habit of getting perfectly dressed for the day before leaving her room in the morning. Once she saw me giggling, she took hold of a hairbrush and got to work.

"Good morning, sweetie! I didn't expect you to call so soon! Or so early..." Her brush got stuck in a knot, so she forced the brush a bit to undo it.

"Yeah, I'm sorry if I woke you," I said.

"It's perfectly alright. Do you need something, Star?"

"Actually, I do. Remember when I asked you about going to Hoenn?" Her expression went dark.

"You mean you're actually going?"

"I always said I wanted to. I just wasn't sure when, Mom." I let out a sigh, knowing it was going to be a repeat of the last phone call. Mom took notice, and quickly put that smile back on her face.

"I was just joking, baby! So, when do you need the money?" Forced smile or no, I was intending to collect on her offer.

"Well, the ship doesn't arrive here in Olivine City for a couple weeks. I'm going to visit Mahogany Town in the meantime, since I'm still missing a couple badges. If you could send the money to Ecruteak City, I could pick it up there."

I explained to her in short my travel plan, so she wouldn't freak out about sending the money blindly. I had to pass by Moo Moo Farm on the way to Ecruteak first, but I'd definitely stay the night in the city. Once I had the money, I'd move on towards Mahogany Town.

"Don't you think it's better to stay close to Olivine City, Star? What if something happens and you can't make it back in time to catch the ship?"

"I'll be fine, Mom," I said. "There's only a few roads between here and Mahogany Town, so I can ride my bike there and get around quicker."

I could tell Mom wasn't entirely convinced, but it wasn't like she could do much to change my mind.

"Well, alright. I'll trust you, Star. You know your limits better than anyone. I'll send the money to Ecruteak's Pokemon Center soon as I have breakfast. Make sure you eat something before you go speeding off, okay?"

"Yes, Mom, I will."

After hearing the usual 'take care of yourself' speech from her, she hung up the call. I joined Vulpix and Nurse Joy for breakfast that morning, then took to my bike and sped off from Olivine.

~o~

"Momma! It's Star!" Called out Kathy when she saw me pull up to the house later that day.

The little girl ran up to me and gave me a hug. Natalie and Martha emerged from the barn, both of them also happy to see me again.

"Great to see you back so soon, Star!" Martha also gave me a hug, practically suffocating me in her ample chest. Needless to say, I was a bit flushed when she let me go.

"I'm sorry I took so long to return," I said. I dug around my bag for a moment, and pulled out the strange root the woman at the pharmacy had given me. "This is the medicine you needed, right?"

"Thank you, Star! With this, our Miltank will get better soon." Martha took the root and ran into the house, probably to get it ready.

"Will you stay for lunch? I'm sure Mom wouldn't mind," offered Natalie.

"Yeah! You should stay and eat with us, Star!" Added in Kathy.

"Well, I guess I could stay a while. But I have to leave right after, because I'm in a bit of a rush."

So I had lunch with Natalie and Kathy, but not Martha. She was so wrapped up in preparing the medicine she couldn't join us, and was out in the barn the whole time. Kathy spent most of the time talking my ear off about every little thing she had done since I left. Natalie tried a couple times to shut her up, but every time she did, Kathy's eyes would well up, and I'd tell her to continue the story. She reminded me so much of when I was little, I didn't have the heart to tell her to stop.

After Natalie and I finished eating, Kathy stayed at the table with Vulpix. She had been so wrapped up in her story that she still had most of her lunch left. Natalie led me out to the field where the Miltanks were grazing, the same place we spoke the last time I was here.

"So you're going somewhere?" She asked once we were out of earshot.

"Yeah, I have to get to Ecruteak City today. Mom's sending me some money so I can buy a ticket to Hoenn."

"So you aren't going back to Olivine City again?"

"No, I have a couple weeks before the ship arrives, so I'm going to Mahogany Town to pick up another badge." There was also Blackthorn City beyond Mahogany Town, but one thing at a time.

"So you're back to normal, then?" Natalie eyed me carefully.

"I guess? What are you talking about?"

"You seemed confused last time, that's all." Natalie looked back out to the cow Pokemon. I didn't have anything to say in response.

"Star, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Should I go on a Pokemon adventure, too?" I looked over to Natalie, who seemed to be really considering this.

"I guess so, if that's what you want to do," I answered. Natalie didn't respond right away, so I wasn't sure if that ended up being the right answer.

"What about Kathy?" I asked her this time.

"She's the reason why I don't want to go on one," she whispered to me.

"Don't want to leave her alone?"

"No," Natalie said, shaking her head. "I'll be ten next year, so I could go on my adventure. But Kathy will only be seven. I don't want to leave her here all alone with Mom."

I didn't know what to say in response, so I kept quiet. I never had a sister or brother to look after, so I couldn't begin to offer advice or words of wisdom to her. The good thing was, I didn't have to linger in that limbo for long. Kathy and Vulpix showed up a moment later, so our little discussion was at an end.

Actually, it was almost better that it happened that way. Natalie and I watched for a moment as Kathy played with Vulpix, using a stick as a sort of conductor's baton to issue orders to my fox companion. She had drive and quite the imagination, so I didn't doubt that one day she'd make a great Pokemon trainer, if that's what she wanted to do. After Kathy noticed us watching her, she blushed a little and ran up to us.

"Stop looking at me!" She said with a pouty face.

"Kathy," I said, kneeling down to meet her at eye level, "Do you plan to become a Pokemon trainer when you get older?"

"Yeah! I want to have my own Pokemon so I can go out and play like you, Star!" She gave me a bright smile. I turned to Natalie.

"What do you think about that?" I asked her. She gave us both something of a half-hearted smile, then kneeled down herself in front of Kathy.

"I think we'll be going on a Pokemon adventure together, then."

Kathy practically exploded with joy at the idea.

~o~

Because I was caught up in a couple Pokemon battles along the way, I ended up arriving at Ecruteak City a lot later than I had hoped. So as usual, I ended up staying at the Pokemon Center, determined to stop by Morrigan's house the following morning. While it's true that Morrigan could creep me out a little, she had been a big help the last time I was in the city. The least I could do was hang out with her for a while before pressing on towards Mahogany Town.

Nurse Joy remembered me from the last time I was there. Having brought in my friend Rebecca and then myself following the battle with Giovanni, it didn't surprise me. She also had the money Mom had sent, which she handed over after I dialed Mom to confirm I was the real Star. And of course, Mom got all emotional again when she realized that I would be leaving once again, further away from her than ever before. So after calming her down (and feeling a bit of embarrassment myself), I took to the couch-turned-bed for the night. Vulpix, as usual, had long since fallen asleep.

After breakfast the next morning, I made a stop by the small gravesite where I had buried Primeape. The impact of it all hit me harder than I had imagined, so before long I found myself wiping tears from my eyes. I didn't even hear the person walk up to be because of it.

"Excuse me, young lady," came a voice from behind me. I turned around to see who it was, trying my best to wipe away the tears. It was an older man, though I didn't recognize who he was.

"Yes? I'm sorry, I shouldn't be crying like this," I said, trying to stop the tears for just a moment.

"Don't worry, dear. It's only natural to mourn the loss of a friend. I take it you're the young lady my niece said would come back here eventually."

"Your niece? Are you talking about Morrigan?" The man nodded, and produced a letter from his pocket.

"She asked me to give this to you, said she was sorry she couldn't say it herself in person. She went back home a couple days ago, to Lavender Town." I took the letter from the man, but held off on reading it just yet.

"Thank you, sir," I said, bowing slightly to show my appreciation further.

"Don't worry, dear. I'll leave you to your thoughts. I'm certain you'd rather be alone than in the company of a total stranger."

Once Morrigan's uncle had left, I opened her letter.

Dear Star:

I'm sorry I wasn't able to stick around long after you left town. I hope by the time you read this, you'll have captured that weasel who stole your Pokemon. You'll do me a favor and let me know how it all went, right?

Since I had to go back home, I spent all that time hanging around you while you were in town. History and culture is one thing, but hanging around with you? Well, that was a lot more fun than I ever would've had on my own. Please don't forget to write me or call me or whatever! I live in Lavender Town, it's pretty small, so as long as you address a letter to me, it'll reach me somehow.

Good luck on your other adventures. Your pal, Morrigan.

Vulpix barked as soon as I finished reading the letter. I looked at her, and noticed she was clawing at something on the reverse side of the paper. I flipped it over, and noticed a final line scribbled on the back.

"'P.S. Tell Vulpix that Doc will miss her!'" I read aloud. Vulpix let out a small whimper.

"You miss Doc, girl? I thought you didn't like him?" I asked my Pokemon. She tilted her head slightly, then barked. Whether she was confirming it or not I'd never know.

I folded the letter up and put it in my bag. It was yet another important memory, another important friendship I had developed on this journey. It was moments like these that made the hardships of the adventure all the more worthwhile. After strapping my bag to my back, I snapped my fingers to signal Vulpix.

"Come on, Vulpix. Let's get going!"

~o~

Autumn was starting to kick in, you know. My adventures in Kanto took a almost a full two months, and by now it was probably some time in late September. To be honest, I had lost track of time outside the sixteen hours the sun was up. It just felt so foreign to me, having to keep track of what day it was, what part of the week, of the month. Just one of the many things I had left behind when I departed Pallet Town so long ago.

As I rode past the trees on Route 42, I noticed a few of them were starting to lose their deep shades of green. Some trees were almost yellow entirely, only cementing the fact the next season in the cycle was upon us. Vulpix barked and pointed at the few trees of a different shade, no doubt remembering the first time she saw trees like that. It wasn't long after I first got her as a gift from Mom.

She was smaller then, and she hadn't grown all six of her tails just yet. Having never owned a pet Pokemon of my own, I went everywhere and did everything with Vulpix, despite Mom's complaints. One time, during the fall, we went playing around in large piles of fallen leaves. It was fun at first, until something happened that nearly burnt down our house. Vulpix sneezed, and with it came a few flames from her mouth. Instantly the piles were set ablaze, and the entire town got involved in the matter.

Fortunately, a trainer who was passing through Pallet Town at the time helped douse the fire with his water Pokemon. It was a Poliwhirl, a Pokemon I never forgot. After the town had settled down, Mom considered taking Vulpix back to the man she bought her from. Needless to say, I was against this, and after enough crying and begging, she let me keep her. Under the condition that I wouldn't go around starting anymore fires, of course.

Halfway through Route 42, just after I had stopped for lunch, I came across a cave entrance. I checked the map on my Pokegear, and learned it was an entrance to Mt Mortar, an oft-forgotten place for travelers. Now, my policy regarding caves is to avoid them like poison, but there were screams and sounds of rocks breaking coming from inside the cave. Memories of what had happened back in the Union Cave flooded my mind, but I just couldn't ignore those screams. I looked down at Vulpix, who was just as eager to lend aid to whoever was in the cave.

"Well, people have helped me before when I was in trouble inside caves," I said, remembering those instances. "I guess I should try and return the favor, right?"

Vulpix barked in confirmation, and ran to the mouth of the cave. After cleaning up the leftovers from lunch, I folded up my bike and went into the cave. All the while, I was hoping this wouldn't be one of those decisions I'd end up regretting afterwards.

Mt Mortar, unlike the other caves I had explored, was mostly flooded. It seemed strange, then, that the cave would be called Mt Mortar. Then again, if I questioned that, why was Mahogany Town called Mahogany Town? Why was all of Johto thematically named after types of flowers? Rather than start tearing down the world around me, I kept my eyes on the ground ahead. If I stumbled into the water or was caught by surprise by another Onix, I'd curse the second I set foot into that cave.

I followed the sounds of the screams, and as I got closer, they became more and more understandable. At first I thought it was a boy screaming for help, but now it sounded like a man yelling at something. I started to fear this entire trip was a waste of time, and it became more apparent once I finally saw the man in question.

He wasn't in any danger, just smashing up rocks along the cavern wall with his Pokemon. Two of them I recognized, a Hitmonlee and a Hitmonchan. There was a third there as well, one I didn't know. I pulled out my trusty Pokedex, but before I could scan the critter, I heard someone yell out at me.

"Hey! Who are you?" The sudden yell caused me to drop my Pokedex, but fortunately it landed on Vulpix first, breaking the fall.

"I'm sorry! I heard yelling and-"

"Oh, sorry, kid. Didn't mean to startle ya." The man came around in front of me, and it was only now that I recognized him. That fat belly, sweaty all over; it was Chuck!

"Chuck? Is that you?" I asked him. It took him a bit longer to remember me, though.

"Oh! It's you! The little girl that came by the gym a few days back." Chuck put his hand to his chin. "Some kinda fancy name, right?"

"It's Star," I said flatly.

"Right! Star! How you doing, kid?"

"Okay. I challenged Olivine's gym leader when I got back from Cianwood," I shared.

"Jasmine, huh? She give you much trouble? She's always so quiet and small you'd forget she even existed." I guess that was one way to describe her.

"It was a hard battle. But thanks to Vulpix, we managed to win!" Vulpix piped in with a bark.

"Glad to hear it. Oh! Nearly forgot..." Chuck signaled for the younger man behind him to step forward.

"I'm Kiyo," he said, bowing slightly.

"I'm Star," I said, shaking his hand. Unlike Chuck, he wasn't anywhere near as sweaty. Or smelly, but I kept both those comments to myself.

"What brings you out here, Star?" Chuck asked me.

"Well, I heard screaming from outside the cave, so I came inside to help. Didn't expect to find you two breaking rocks here." Chuck let out a hearty laugh.

"Means you're doing a fine job there, Kiyo. Keep up the good work!" Chuck gave him a hard pat on the back, one that almost looked like it hurt.

"So what are you doing?" I asked, looking at the mass of broken rocks all over the place. I'd almost go as far as to guess they were building a new tunnel.

"Training. When ya work with fighting type Pokemon, it's important to build your own strength alongside theirs, otherwise they'll walk all over ya!" Chuck took the opportunity to showcase his muscles, though his rather large belly detracted from the display. His explanation did account for why Primeape was hard for me to control at first, before he became steadfastly loyal.

"I see. And what kind of Pokemon is that," I asked, pointing towards the smaller critter between Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan. Kiyo answered this one.

"That's Tyrogue, a special baby Pokemon. I'm training him up so one day he can join Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan here at my gym."

"Baby Pokemon?"

"You've never heard of them? That's certainly something! Baby Pokemon are just as the name implies: young Pokemon that will one day grow and evolve into more familiar creatures. It takes lots of time and work, but the bonds you create last a lifetime, and certainly much better than capturing a Pokemon in the wild." Again, explaining how Vulpix and I were so close. She may not have been a baby Pokemon when I first got her, but she was certainly very little.

"Alright, enough chatter," Chuck cut in, "You should get back to your trainin', and I should be headed back home myself."

"Don't want to make your wife angry?" I joked with Chuck.

"I'm sure you know the answer to that! Kiyo, behave yourself, else Star here will whip you better than I ever could!"

Chuck waved farewell to Kiyo and his Pokemon, and made his way out of the cave. Once Kiyo and I were alone, I asked him about the gym he mentioned a moment ago. My surprise when I heard his answer!

"I run a smaller gym in Saffron City, more of a dojo than anything. We don't have an official badge to hand out to trainers, but we're there only to promote further training, as well as a hub for leaders to meet from around the regions."

"Small world! When I was in Saffron City, I heard about your gym, but my friend said it didn't have any badges to give, so I didn't stop by." I blushed a bit after letting that slip, realizing how rude that came out.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that." I apologized.

"Don't worry about it. Many trainers think like you, so the dojo's been a bit down on its luck. Why I'm always here now." Kiyo took a glance back at his Pokemon, who were all starting to look bored of the inaction.

"Maybe I should get going, too, leave you to your training." I said, taking a step back.

"If you must. It was a pleasure meeting you, Star. And good luck with your adventure!"

"Thanks, Kiyo!"


	40. The Lake Rage Mystery

The Lake Rage Mystery, Chapter 40

Dusk was starting to set in as I approached Mahogany Town, and with it a slight chill in the air. I quickly realized how badly I needed a change of wardrobe. Unfortunately, I was stuck with my clothes until I went back to Olivine City, at least. Vulpix ended up lucking out because of all this, though. In an effort to stay warm, I carried her around in my arms, using her body heat to keep my chest warm.

As I came up to the outskirts of the town, I noticed a few people walking around in black overcoats. I knew it was a bit chilly, but those get-ups were a bit much even in the dead of winter. Still, I tried to keep my eyes on the road ahead, until one of the shady people walked up to me.

"Hey kid," he said in a hushed tone. "Want to buy something?"

The man undid a button on his overcoat, and swung it open. Hanging off the inner coat were a few items I had seen personally not too long ago. I had to keep myself from gagging at the sight.

"Slowpoke Tails, only ¥1,000,000. You'll never find a better deal for one of the most sought after condiments or fishing lures in the world."

"Oh god," I managed to say, covering my mouth. The man noticed my reaction and quickly covered up the tails. He opened the other side of his coat instead, and now there were a bunch of strange candy bars hanging from his coat.

"How about a Rage Candy Bar? A specialty of Mahogany Town, only ¥300! What do you say, kid?"

Before I could answer this time, someone else in a black overcoat walked up next to me. I looked up at the person, but didn't recognize him right away.

"She's not interested. Get lost." He said coldly.

"Whatever, boss," said the first salesman. He packed up his portable shop and walked off. The other man turned to me and pulled down the collar of his overcoat.

"Lance!"

"Good to see you again, Star," said the now recognizable League Champion. He quickly concealed his face again. "Follow me to the Pokemon Center."

I did as he instructed, and walked closely behind him through town. Other than a few houses and the easily identifiable gym building, there was nothing more to the town. And yet, for such a small town, there were people in black overcoats all over the place. And if Lance was here, I knew that could only mean one thing: Team Rocket.

Once we were inside the Pokemon Center, I left my Pokemon with Nurse Joy for a quick check up, then joined Lance in the lobby. He removed the overcoat so we could talk face to face.

"Seems we keep running into each other," he started.

"Well, we didn't run into each other in Goldenrod City," I said, remembering that crazy rescue mission I was a part of.

"I had a feeling that might've been you. There were rumors of a girl and a fire type Pokemon, but no one had any specifics."

"Yeah, that was me. Lance, is Team Rocket here, too?"

"Yes," he said, before looking around the center. He lowered his voice before continuing. "I don't know what they're up to, though."

"And the people in the overcoats?" He nodded.

"Rocket grunts. Seems they're trying to fund the organization with Slowpoke Tails. I heard rumors that their operations in Azalea Town were cut short after the town fought back." I could've pitched in and taken credit for that as well, but went against it. Didn't want to seem like I was working harder to stop Team Rocket than he was.

"But a million bucks? Are those tails worth that much?" It all seemed like a scam to me.

"Slowpoke Tails can be worth quite a lot, but I don't think many people would pay that much for them so willingly. It's almost much easier to raise a Slowpoke and harvest your own tails."

I felt my stomach do a backflip, so I instinctively covered my mouth.

"A Slowpoke's tail is quite special," Lance continued. "The Pokemon uses it to fish for food, so it is packed with this strange substance that acts much better than any lure humans have ever invented. A single tail used as bait for fishing can double, even triple a haul on a fishing expedition."

At this point, Nurse Joy returned with my Pokemon. Though I was ready to follow Lance, he told me to stay put and get some rest.

"But I want to help!"

"And I'll welcome it, but you should get some rest tonight. I'll do some recon overnight, and come by to pick you up soon as I know where Team Rocket is holed up."

There was no point in arguing with Lance over this, so I nodded and let him be on his way. The thought of chasing after him crossed my mind, but the truth was my eyes were tired. I really could use some sleep, and Vulpix was already yawning herself. Lance wouldn't leave me behind, not after all the help I had provided him in the past.

With that thought in mind, I made myself comfortable on the couch in the lobby, with Vulpix on my lap. It didn't take long for sleep to settle in.

~o~

"Star, wake up."

I felt someone shake me gently, rousing my from my sleep. The voice was muffled at first, but I was certain it was Lance. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, and put my glasses on. It was Lance alright, but I could hardly make him out in the dimmed lighting of the center. A quick glance behind me, and I realized it was still dark out.

"I have discovered where Team Rocket is hiding," he whispered to me. I stretched a bit before answering.

"What time is it?" I asked groggily.

"It's almost sunrise. We should hurry, so we can get to the lake before anyone sees us."

Since Lance was clearly in a rush, I nodded silently and followed him out of the Pokemon Center. Vulpix was still being lazy, so I had to carry her along the way. We left Mahogany Town and headed north, along Route 43. According to my map, Route 43 connected to only one locale, the Lake of Rage. Local legend stated that the lake was formed by a bunch of Gyrados long ago, hence the name.

Route 43 was uneventful, which was probably for the best. Along the forested road, I noticed a few 'outposts', where people were camped out in waiting. Lance mentioned they were roadblocks manned by Rocket grunts, to make sure no one interrupted their operations at the lake. When I asked him what exactly they were doing up there, he remained silent. Either he didn't know, or he didn't want to share.

Once we got to the lake, we were both surprised to find a number of people there. They were all looking out to something splashing about in the water, which in the dim morning light was hard to make out as anything other than a Pokemon.

"Star, ask around and see what's going on. I'll start looking for Team Rocket's hideout here."

"I thought you knew where it was?"

"I learned it was up here by the lake, but I'm not sure where. I'll find it, you gather intel from the locals on what's going on in the lake."

"Got it!"

Lance ran off to the other side of the lake, headed first for the lone house by the water. I looked down at Vulpix, who was looking a bit uncomfortable, even annoyed by something in the air. Guessing it was just small bugs buzzing around, I left her by the water as I started questioning the people around the lake.

"Excuse me, what's going on here?"

"You just got here? There's this strange Gyrados swimming in the lake! Look!" The man pointed out to the splash in the center of the lake. I focused my vision, trying to make out the Gyrados in the poor light and through my rather dirty glasses. There was something large out there in the lake, but I still couldn't make it out.

"What's so strange about the Gyrados?" I asked, taking off my glasses to wipe them clean.

"It's bloody red, that's what!" My eyes popped open.

I put my glasses back on, and leaned in closer. Sure enough, now that I could see a bit better, I made out the large red Pokemon, flailing about in the water like it was in pain. I reached down to pick up Vulpix, who was trying her best to keep something out of her ears. There was something in the air around here, and only the Pokemon could tell what it was. I ran after Lance, who was just exiting the house by the lake.

"Find something, Star?"

"Lance, there's a red Gyrados out in the water!" I pointed towards the lake, but Lance didn't look surprised.

"I heard from the man that lives here. He said it showed up a few days ago, along with this annoying sound only his Golduck can hear. Whatever it is, it seems to agitate the Pokemon."

"So that's why," I said, hugging Vulpix in my arms. "Vulpix can hear it, too! She's been trying to keep it out since we got here."

"It's most likely Team Rocket's doing. Star, you get Vulpix to lead you to the source of the noise, I'll deal with the Gyrados before it becomes anymore violent."

Lance released his Dragonite, jumping onto its back. The orange Pokemon flew over the heads of the people looking out to the lake, leaving me to my task. I put Vulpix down, and forced one of her paws away from her ear.

"I know you don't like this sound, but I need you to lead me to where it's coming from. Can you do that for me, Vulpix?"

She instantly, covered her ear again, but one look at me directly in the eyes and she was ready to follow orders. Barking a few times, she ran ahead, away from the crowd and towards the mountainside north of the lake. I ran after her, taking one more look towards the lake. I saw Lance fighting the red Gyrados, and wondered just why it was red in the first place. Vulpix stopped at the base of the mountain, scratching at the wall for a moment before she covered her ears again. I felt the rocks for a moment, noticing that a small portion of it felt fake, like plastic.

Like any hidden base, I knew there had to be a secret lever or button to get the door open, so I started feeling around for one. After a few minutes of searching, I felt someone walk up behind me.

"Did you find anything?" It was Lance.

"There's a door here, but I don't know how to get it open." Lance walked up to the wall, feeling for the fake rocks. Once he measured out the width of the door, he stepped back, and released his Dragonite.

"Dragonite, open this door."

The large dragon nodded, and positioned itself in front of the hidden entrance. It sized up the entrance, and latched onto either side of the fake portion of the wall. With one swift motion, he snapped the plastic veil off the door, and tossed it to a side. Behind it was a metal door, the large red 'R' plastered over it.

"We're just going to break in?" I asked, not sure if that was the smart thing to do. "Wouldn't it be better to try and open the door quietly?"

"Smash it open, Dragonite." Lance ordered, almost as if to spite me.

The orange critter took a step back on its right side and leg, and delivered a powerful punch to the door, snapping it off its hinges. An alarm started blasting through the halls inside the base, which somehow finally allowed Vulpix to release her ears.

"We'll force our way through. Whatever that noise was that was angering the Gyrados and your Vulpix, we had to stop it as soon as possible. Let's go!"

I followed Lance through the door, but quickly the hall split in two. Lance pointed down one of the corridors.

"I'll go down this one, you take the other. We're looking for some kind of power generator, yell if you find it!"

Lance ran down the hall, though he was quickly stopped by a pair of grunts. He could hold his own, so I ran down the other hallway. As I turned a corner, I ran into a grunt myself, knocking us both to the ground. Vulpix leapt between us, and started barking at the grunt. Once our eyes met, the grunt couldn't believe who he was seeing.

"You! How is it you keep finding our bases?" Every grunt looked the same to me, so I couldn't be sure from where I met him.

"Just get out of my way, and I won't have to hurt your Pokemon," I told him. He reached for his Pokeballs, releasing two critters at once. One was a Raticate, and the other was a black bird whose feathers looked like a hat on its head. I pulled out my Pokedex on the spot.

"Murkrow, the Darkness Pokemon. Feared and loathed by many, it is believed to bring misfortune to all those who see it at night."

"Raticate, Super Fang! Murkrow, Wing Attack!"

"Vulpix, Quick Attack!"

Both his Pokemon rushed Vulpix, but they just barely missed Vulpix as she vanished. I reached for Ariados' Pokeball, evening the playing field once he was out. Vulpix reappeared behind the Raticate, knocking it towards Ariados.

"Ariados, Poison Sting! Vulpix, Ember!"

Ariados spun around and caught onto Raticate with his legs, locking the Pokemon in place for the attack. Vulpix used the trapped rat Pokemon as a springboard, and leapt high into the air. She spun around, raining down the embers on both opposing critters.

"Raticate, Quick Attack! Murkrow, Pursuit!"

"Ariados, String Shot!" Vulpix, Quick Attack!"

The wave of commands wasn't confused by the Pokemon, and they all sprung into action. Both Raticate and Vulpix vanished from sight, while Ariados sprayed the sticky web all across the hallway. Murkrow also vanished in a flash of feathers, leaving only Ariados in the hallway for a moment. Raticate was the first to reappear, slamming into Ariados regardless of being slowed down by the white web. Right after, Vulpix showed up, forcing Raticate into another mass of web on the ground. Finally, Murkrow showed up, pushing Vulpix herself onto some of the web.

"Ariados, String Shot on that bird!"

"Murkrow, Fly high!"

Before the Murkrow could take to the ceiling, Ariados blasted it with some more web, which managed to tangle its feathers and force it to the ground. Vulpix took this moment to break free of the web she was tangled in, while leaving Raticate locked in the sticky trap..

"Vulpix, quickly! Use Flamethrower!"

She forced herself up, and blasted the bird with the flames. Murkrow let out a small cry, then fell over. He was extra crispy at this point. The grunt recalled both his critters.

"You won't be so lucky next time, brat!"

He ran off past me, allowing me to keep trudging forward. I left Ariados out of his Pokeball, and scooped up Vulpix in my arms. Continuing down the hallway, I eventually came upon a large room with a huge machine in the center. Figuring this was the generator Lance was talking about, I screamed out his name before I ran inside.

The machine took up almost the entire room, with half a dozen glass rods sticking out from the sides. There were sparks of electricity in the rods, and hooked up to the machine were several large Pokeballs. I got close to one of them, and a pair of eyes instantly shot open. It was an Electrode. Ariados and I backed away, knowing full well that if the Pokeball shaped critter self-destructed, we'd both be in a world of pain.

"Star! Are you alright?" Lance ran into the room, his Dragonite close behind. It looked a bit tired, but still eager to battle. Lance examined the machine and the Pokemon hooked up to it for only a second.

"It's running off of electricity from these Electrodes. What do we do?"

"We have no choice," Lance said, pointing at one of the Pokemon, "We'll have to make them faint."

"What?" I looked back at the Pokemon, realizing they looked to be in some degree of pain. "Is that the only thing we can do?"

"If we try to remove them, they may self-destruct, and blow this entire base along with them. We can't take that chance, and we don't know if Team Rocket is sending reinforcements. If you can't go through with it, cover the entrance, and I'll take care of it."

"No," I said, looking back at the Pokemon. "It's okay. I'll help."

Lance nodded, and ordered his Dragonite to start hacking away at the first Electrode on the right hand side of the machine. I walked over to the left side of the machine, and ordered Ariados to use Pin Missile on the defenseless Pokemon.

His attack was spot on, and the Electrode fell on the spot. After unhooking the cables from its body, I moved on to the next one, and then the one after that. I'm afraid to admit, even to this day, how each time it got easier. I knew then, and of course today, that this really was the only course of action. It was as if Team Rocket designed the machine to cause the Pokemon pain regardless.

Once all of the Electrodes had been fainted, Lance asked me to step outside the room. He told me to wait just around the corner, and I heard as he ordered his Dragonite to blast the machine with a Hyper Beam attack. The explosion rocked the entire base, and any Rockets that were still in the base began a full scale evacuation. Lance ordered his Dragonite to take the long way around, while he led me with his Dragonair down the hallway I took.

Outside, we saw a few of the Rocket members make an attempt to flee the base, only to be caught by Ecruteak's police force. Lance had contacted them last night, and apparently at some point this morning before we entered the base. I stayed behind him the entire time, not wanting to make my face better known for helping Lance out all the time. It was that kind of fame that would only make me a target in the future.

"Star, take Dragonair and head back to Mahogany Town," Lance said, offering me his beautiful dragon type. "I'll stay here and inform the police of everything that happened."

"Are you sure?" It was a question of courtesy, more than anything.

"Yes. Dragonair can fly you back into town in no time. I'll meet up with you in the Pokemon Center."

I put Ariados back in his Pokeball, and picked Vulpix up in my arms. His Dragonair slithered between my legs, propping me up onto its neck in a swift motion. I held on tightly, and the Pokemon took to the air. Effortlessly, Dragonair swam through the sky, almost as if it were in water.

I looked down as we traveled over the lake, watching the police apprehend Team Rocket and the spectators from the lake. Magical though it all was, my thoughts were only on one thing the entire time.

The Pokemon that had been stolen from me back in Azalea Town.


	41. A Cold and Bitter Past

A Cold and Bitter Past, Chapter 41

Dragonair touched down near the Pokemon Center to let me off. Afterwards, the Pokemon took back to the skies, headed towards the Lake of Rage. Lance had asked me to stay at the center until he finished with the police, so I figured I'd take the opportunity to call Mom. I left my Pokemon with Nurse Joy, except for Vulpix, and then dialed home.

"Hello?" The voice on the other line wasn't Mom's.

"Um, Mom? It's Star."

"Oh! Just a sec, sweetie." The voice said, before the line went silent. A moment later, the screen switched on, and I saw Mom on the other side.

"Star! I didn't think you'd call back so soon!"

"Hi, Mom. Umm... who was the lady on the phone before you?"

"Oh, it was just one of my friends," she said, but didn't elaborate. "Something wrong, baby?"

"Mom-"

"You're not a baby, I know," she finished for me. I sighed.

"I just called to say hi, is all. I know you like it when I call you." And now that I knew she had company over, I just wanted to hang up and be done with it. Even from across the region and over the phone, I remembered my manners about interrupting conversations.

"That's great, Star! But listen, I have to go now. You'll be traveling to Hoenn, then?"

"Yeah, that's why you sent me the money, remember?"

"I know, I know. Be sure to call me before you leave Johto, okay?" In the background, I could hear the other lady urging Mom to hurry up.

"I will, Mom. Have fun!" I said with a smile.

"You too, Star! Bye!"

And with that, the monitor turned off. Vulpix licked my face, equally confused as to Mom's strange behavior. Well, could I really call it strange? Up until now, I thought Mom sat at home all day worrying about me. Like anyone else, she had friends and did fun things. This was just the first time I ever saw this other side of her. I think this was the first time Mom ever dismissed me without worry.

"You know," I said to Vulpix, "That was pretty..."

I couldn't even pick out the right word. Refreshing? Scary? Who knows.

~o~

Lance didn't come back until late that afternoon. I ended up wasting the day sitting in the Pokemon Center, which was a bit annoying. I could have gone to the gym and collected the badge in the meantime. Still, the wait ended up worthwhile. Along with Lance came another familiar face. That bald head, round glasses, and white lab coat.

"Blaine?"

"Well, if it isn't the little ninja girl from Cinnabar Island! Lance was telling me a lot about you, though I never expected it to be the same person." Blaine offered me a handshake.

"Star has been most helpful in thwarting Team Rocket's plans," Lance said. It was at this moment that something shot to mind. I grabbed Lance's hand and pulled him away from Blaine for a moment.

"Lance, do you know Blaine works for Giovanni and Team Rocket?" I whispered into his ear. Lance just smiled.

"I know that. He was working there under my instruction." My eyes went wide.

"Didn't think you were so untrusting, Star," Blaine chipped in with a chuckle. "Though you weren't completely off the mark."

This time, both Lance and I looked at him with some measure of surprise. Blaine cleared his throat.

"Lance recruited me after he discovered the labs under Giovanni's control on the island. I was already working for Giovanni on a top secret project. I had no problem reporting to Lance behind Giovanni's back; Lance is in charge of the League."

"So what was your stake in the matter?" Lance asked him.

"The completion of the project. We were working to clone a Pokemon so rare, it might very well be extinct. We managed to succeed." Blaine seemed proud of the accomplishment, though I could tell Lance wasn't happy. I figured the Pokemon in question was that mass in the tube in the lab when I was on the island.

"We'll have to discuss this later, and in private." Lance said sternly. Blaine just smiled.

"Whatever you say, boss. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like a word with Star alone."

Lance scoffed at the older gentleman, but let him have his moment of privacy with me. I hadn't seen Lance get angry like that at anyone other than Giovanni. I was curious, to be sure, but Blaine wasn't about to let me in on anything.

"Listen, Star. There's a chance you might run across the very Pokemon I helped create. You'll know if you do run into it. I know you still have that purple Pokeball in your possession. The Master Ball."

I nodded, and went to look in my bag for the item. Blaine stopped me from pulling it out of the bag.

"Use it then, without any hesitation. We cannot keep that Pokemon contained any other way."

"I understand."

Blaine nodded, then rejoined Lance at the entrance of the Pokemon Center. After sharing a word with Lance, the Champion walked over to me.

"You don't have to worry about Team Rocket for a while, Star. From the interrogations at the lake, we think this was their last stronghold in the region. Thank you for all your help."

"No problem, Lance. I was happy to help!"

Lance thanked me one last time, then left the center with Blaine. It was already late, so I figured I'd get some rest. I'd tackle the gym the next morning before heading out further east to Blackthorn City.

~o~

The next morning, I awoke refreshed and ready to take on the world again. The craziness regarding Team Rocket, Blaine and the events at the Lake of Rage were behind me, and my goal was across the street. Nurse Joy hinted at the leader's type preference, that being ice. It wasn't a type I was experienced combatting, but I knew that Vulpix would probably be my best ally in the coming battle.

So after breakfast, I crossed the street from the center, Vulpix trailing behind me, and entered the large building.

Inside, I saw the ice motif Nurse Joy hinted at during breakfast. The arena was covered in a sheet of ice, making it difficult to walk around without slipping. I looked around for the gym leader, but he wasn't there. I could hear voices coming from the room behind the leader's throne, so I walked slowly across the slippery arena, Vulpix following closely. She didn't have half as much luck staying on her feet.

I walked around to the door, but didn't open it just yet. Inside, I could hear two voices arguing something, one of which sounded like Blaine. Rather than eavesdrop, I knocked on the door first. The voices went silent for a moment.

"What do you want?" The voice called out through the closed door. I took a deep breath.

"My name is Star, and I've come to challenge the gym leader for a badge." I heard a bit of shuffling around behind the door. It swung open, and inside was Blaine.

"Blaine? What are you doing here?"

"Come in. Star, I was just discussing something with an old friend." Blaine moved aside, and let me enter the office. On the other side of the room and desk was an old man, his hair bleached white with age. Minding my manners, I made sure to bow before him before saying anything else.

"Good morning, sir. I wish to challenge you to a Pokemon battle for a gym badge." I looked down at Vulpix, making sure she didn't go poking around the man's desk.

"I'm not taking any challenges today, young lady. Please leave us." His response was as cold as his own gym.

"Pryce, come on; give the girl a chance. I promise you, she won't let you down. Gave me a run for my money when she challenged me a while back." Pryce looked over at Blaine, almost as if he couldn't refuse a friend's request. Looking a bit more annoyed rather than relaxed, Pryce rose from his seat, cane in hand.

"You owe me one," he told Blaine as he walked past us. Once Pryce was outside the office, I looked over to Blaine.

"Old age, Star. Makes us a bit cranky, so don't mind old Pryce. He and I go way back."

Out on the arena, Pryce took his seat on his end of the field. I walked across the icy floor again, now making doubly sure not to slip and fall with both Pryce and Blaine watching me. Once on my end, Pryce turned on a microphone on his throne, allowing his voice to resound throughout the gym.

"We shall have a two Pokemon battle. First to down two monsters is the victor. Are you ready?" I yelled out that I was, and Pryce threw his first Pokemon onto the field. The Pokeball exploded to reveal a Cloyster. Though Vulpix seemed like the right choice to battle this critter, I instead reached for a Pokeball from my belt. I released Eevee.

"The battle has begun. Cloyster, use Swift."

"Eevee, Quick Attack!"

Eevee sprinted across the arena, but Cloyster's attack could not be evaded. The wave of sparkles crashed directly into Eevee, knocking him out of his sprint.

"Eevee, Quick Attack again!"

"Cloyster, Swift."

Again, Eevee shot towards his opponent like a bullet, and again Cloyster managed to force him out of his attack. This wasn't going in my favor. Eevee was having too much trouble closing the distance because of the icy arena. I had to try a different approach.

"Eevee, Sand-Attack!"

"Cloyster, Withdraw."

Eevee kicked up a cloud of white sand, mostly small fragments of ice and water. However, Cloyster had concealed his face behind his shell, rendering Eevee's attack useless. By this point, I was starting to get a little flustered. Pryce made it seem like he was just battling for battling's sake, while I was desperately trying to win.

"Eevee..." I went silent, not sure what to attack with anymore. Pryce didn't even fight back, he just waited for me to make my move.

Eevee looked back at me, awaiting my next command. Since I had nothing to order, I just sat down on the ground. Vulpix was just as confused as Eevee, walking circles around me. Pryce didn't look the least be fazed for a while, until the stalemate lasted for a few minutes.

"Are you forfeiting the match, young lady?" The echo of Pryce's magnified voice was a bit unsettling. To answer him, I just shook my head.

"Issue a command, or I will end this match on the grounds of your forfeit." All that time, and I hadn't actually come up with an alternate plan of attack. To be honest, I wasn't actually brainstorming on it, just waiting for Pryce to make a move I could counter. I rose from the ground, unsure how to proceed.

"Eevee, Sand-Attack!"

"Withdraw." Pryce said half-heartedly.

Eevee followed my order, and Cloyster obeyed Pryce. The stalemate hadn't been resolved, but I had come up with an idea. I followed up without giving Pryce a chance to react.

"Quick Attack, Eevee!"

The blue Pokemon zoomed in on Cloyster, but with it concealed in its hard shell, the damage would be minimal.

"Eevee, wait!"

He came to a screeching halt just in front of Cloyster.

"Cloyster, Spike Cannon."

"Now! Take Down!"

I saw the next event in slow motion, I think. Cloyster opened its shell, aiming the two largest spikes at Eevee, who was just a foot or so away from him. Before it could blast him, Eevee rammed straight into Cloyster's exposed face, sending the critter rolling backwards, its shell slammed shut once more. At such close proximity, it was a one hit KO. Pryce chuckled over the microphone.

"Clever strategy, young lady. Clever indeed." The old man recalled his Pokemon, and produced another Pokeball. This time, the critter was a large white animal, a Dewgong. I left Eevee out on the field.

"Dewgong, Ice Beam."

"Eevee, Quick Attack!"

Eevee blasted forward, which only made Dewgong's job easier. The seal Pokemon pointed its forehead towards Eevee, and let out a bright blue beam. The attacked nailed Eevee spot on, freezing him in place. Vulpix started barking, and I scrambled to recall Eevee before Pryce finished the fight.

"Dewgong, Take Down."

I aimed the Pokeball at Eevee's frozen body, but it was too late. Dewgong had crashed into him, shattering the ice around him and effectively ending the battle. Eevee fell over, unable to move anymore. I returned him to his Pokeball.

"Your next Pokemon, young lady." I kneeled down and scratched Vulpix's ears. She went out onto the arena. It was as if Pryce had lost his patience during the stalemate earlier and just wanted to end the battle as quickly as possible. Not to be mean, but I guess when you got that old, you couldn't afford to waste any time like I was.

"Dewgong, Ice Beam."

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

It was a risky move, but if Dewgong's attack connected Vulpix would fall in the same manner as Eevee. The blue beam of energy shot towards Vulpix, while her flames crashed against it half way. The two cancelled each other out for only a moment before it exploded in a cloud of white smoke. The smoke concealed everything, so I whispered towards Vulpix. She ran back to my side.

"Quick Attack, girl, and hurry."

The small fox nodded, and turned around. She vanished from sight, just before the smoke cleared up. Dewgong prepared for another attack, but Vulpix was no where to be seen. This, of course, confused even Pryce.

"Have you recalled your Pokemon, young lady?"

"No, I didn't!" My answer clicked with Pryce instantly.

"Dewgong, move!"

That was the first time I heard Pryce panic slightly. Dewgong was about to get away from where he was stationed, but Vulpix reappeared just behind him, knocking the Pokemon towards the center of the arena.

"Vulpix, Ember, now!"

She spun around in place, raining down the small flames all over Dewgong's body. A number of them burned Dewgong's beautiful skin, which hurt me almost as much as the Pokemon. Still, I had to end this battle fast.

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

"Dewgong, Ice Beam."

The Pokemon aimed its head as quickly as it could, blasting the blue beam towards Vulpix. To my surprise, rather than follow my command, Vulpix leapt into the air, dodging Dewgong's Ice Beam entirely. Before I could say anything more, Vulpix's entire body flashed for a split second, and she released a blast of fire at the Pokemon. The flames enveloped the Pokemon completely, turning into a massive tornado of fire. It encased Dewgong for several seconds, then dissipated. Dewgong was left burned all over, and the poor Pokemon couldn't even make another move. He fell over, exhausted.

The arena was quiet for a few seconds. I think even Blaine was shocked by the display, and being a fire Pokemon trainer, that was quite something. Pryce eventually recalled his Pokemon, and rose from his chair.

"Congratulations, young lady. You've earned yourself the Glacierbadge."

~o~

"Do you know what happened with your Vulpix in there, Star?" We were back outside Pryce's gym, Blaine and I. After handing over the badge, Pryce asked both of us to leave.

"Not really. I told her to use Flamethrower, so I was shocked when she didn't do as I told her." I pulled out one of the last cookies from my bag, and gave it to Vulpix.

"It's a special ability, unique only to some Pokemon. We call it the 'Pokemon Power', as unoriginal as the name is. They are special, more powerful attacks that rarely surface in battle. It's believed that every Pokemon possesses one, but not all Pokemon can learn to use it freely."

"I never would've known," I said, looking down at Vulpix. To think, she had that kind of power all along.

"Well, now that you know, you might want to consider training your Vulpix to use the power anytime. For reference, you can learn the ability's details with your handy little Pokedex."

"Thanks, Blaine. By the way, why were you talking to Pryce before I got there?"

"Catching up on old times. Sadly, we instead got to talking about less savory matters." Blaine turned away, not wanting to talk about it. Since I didn't get the hint, I pestered him a bit more about it.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, to make it short: the reason why Pryce is so, well, cold, is because of a little scuffle he and I had many years ago."

Blaine gave me the shorthand version of his history with Pryce. They were both trainers many years ago, good friends and rivals as well. During a visit to Cinnabar Island, which back then didn't have a town on it, the two entered the volcano to catch some rare fire Pokemon. The battle went south for Pryce, who was badly injured in a battle with a wild Magmar. His Piloswine, his oldest and most loyal Pokemon, didn't survive the battle. Blaine ended up saving his life, if only by capturing the Magmar Pryce had worked so hard to wear down.

Pryce was conflicted: on the one hand, he owed his life to his best human friend. On the other, he had lost his closest Pokemon friend, and his prize. After that, the two had a bit of a falling out, though they still kept in touch over the years. They met again several years ago, when both joined up for Team Rocket's Research and Development teams. Since both were already gym leaders, their positions made them the perfect candidates to provide face for Rocket's more questionable projects.

While Pryce covered for Team Rocket in Mahogany Town for a time, he was never as happy working for them as Blaine. When the base in Mahogany Town was moved directly to the Lake of Rage, Pryce severed all ties with Team Rocket. This angered Giovanni considerably, from what Blaine told me, though because Pryce was still a gym leader, there was little Giovanni could do to get back at him.

"Story time is over, Star," Blaine said, adjusting his spectacles. "Case in point: Pryce has a reason for being so cold. Just don't hold it against him."

"I wasn't planning to," I said, having almost forgotten the reason for this history lesson.

"Good. Now, Lance told me you're headed to Blackthorn City, right?" Blaine pointed towards the east exit of Mahogany Town. "That's the road you want to take. Dress warmly."

Blaine took off in a different direction. I knew the weather was getting colder as time passed, but I just didn't expect it to get as cold as it would later that day. I assembled my bike and put Vulpix into the front basket. Route 44 awaited me, and yet another cave I didn't expect.


	42. Blackthorn's Dragon Master

Blackthorn's Dragon Master, Chapter 42

Route 44 was actually a pretty short stretch of land, so it didn't take me long to cycle through the beaten path to the end. Unfortunately, Blackthorn City wasn't at the end of the road. Since the city was surrounded by mountains on three sides, the only straightforward road into the city was from the south, by taking Route 45. That road connected to yet a different cave on Route 46, which was north from Route 29. I distinctly remembered not taking that road when I first arrived in Johto.

"So anyway I look at it," I said to both myself and Vulpix in the bike basket in front of me, "I have to go through some kind of cave to get to Blackthorn. I just never get a break, do I?"

Unlike other caves, this one was not only surprisingly well-lit, but also cold. It was called the Ice Path, a frozen stretch of tunnel connecting Blackthorn and Route 44. According to Professor Oak's talk show on the radio, which I had been listening to along the way, the wild Pokemon were partly responsible for the Ice Path being as cold as it was. Because of the ice covering most of the cave, I put away my bike and continued on foot.

'Dress warmly', Blaine had warned me. Would've been better if he just told me outright. Vulpix was having a bit of trouble getting around on the ice, and I couldn't blame her. My sandals weren't the best footwear for this place either, and on my first attempt to cross a sheet of ice, I slipped and fell hard on my butt. My grunt and yelp echoed throughout the cave.

"That hurt," I said, leaning on Vulpix for support. The small fox started growling at something, which put me on alert.

I went silent, and heard footsteps and other noises coming from deeper in the cave. I grabbed hold of a Pokeball, just in case there was a pack of wild Pokemon around the bend. Within seconds, I saw a pair of small brown critters making their way across the ice. Behind us, I saw a red and white bird, which had Vulpix practically barking at this point. I pulled out my Pokedex, and started by scanning the bird behind me.

"Delibird, the Delivery Pokemon. It carries food rolled up in its tail. It has the habit of sharing food with people lost in mountains."

"Well, that's nice to hear," I said aloud. The Delibird took off in the opposite direction, scared by Vulpix's barking. With that potential threat gone, I turned around and scanned the small brown critters next.

"Swinub, the Pig Pokemon. It has a very sensitive nose. It can locate mushrooms, berries, and even hot springs buried under ice."

Vulpix barked at these two Pokemon as well, but they weren't fazed by her. Instead, the two Pokemon pressed forward, intent on battling us.

"Vulpix, use Ember!"

Vulpix jumped up, swinging her tail to rain down small flames on both Pokemon. They were burned pretty badly, but didn't flee. Instead, both opened their mouths wide, blasting us both with a harsh cold wind. Vulpix shrugged off the attack easily, but I was starting to feel numb all over. I felt my knees give out, and I collapsed on the even colder ice under my feet. The two Swinub continued to close the distance on us.

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

Vulpix opened her mouth, blasting both wild Pokemon with a spray of flames. This time, the two Swinub turned and fled completely. The cave fell silent again, allowing me to take a breather. Of course, the first thing I did was get off the icy floor. I asked Vulpix to breathe some fire nearby so that I could try warming up, as well as drying out my clothes. Simply touching the ice around here was enough to make it start melting, so by now my dress was pretty much soaked in ice cold water.

"I just hope I don't catch a cold from all this," I muttered.

I pressed onward, only to stop short a moment later. This time, those small footsteps were accompanied by the sounds of something much larger stomping nearby. I took a deep breath, Pokedex handy, and Vulpix at the ready. Just ahead, I saw a Pokemon similar to the two Swinub walking by them. Only this one was much, much larger. I aimed my Pokedex at the creature.

"Piloswine, the Thick Fat Pokemon. Covered by a shaggy coat, it is strong against the cold. Its tusks of ice thicken when it snows."

The Piloswine let out a deafening roar, causing some of the ice above to crack and rain down all over us. If that thing charged, we'd be in serious trouble. I pointed at the Piloswine.

"Vulpix, use Fire Spin!"

It was definitely a gamble, seeing as how I hadn't even begun to train Vulpix on how to use her Pokemon Power at will. Still, I had to give it a shot. Vulpix took in a deep breath, and released a wave of flames at all three Pokemon in the tunnel ahead. She held the spray for a few seconds, but it never formed into the tornado I witnessed in Mahogany Town.

The Piloswine had weathered the attack sufficiently well, but the Swinubs had been burned quite extensively. The two smaller Pokemon fled, while the larger one stood its ground. If it intended to attack us, I wasn't about to give it the chance.

"Vulpix, Flamethrower again!"

Vulpix again blasted the large Pokemon with a wall of fire, this one lasting half as long as before. Between the cold weather and her consecutive attacks, Vulpix was quickly losing energy. Fortunately, this time the Piloswine felt the heat, and turned around to leave. Of course, we'd be going down that same tunnel after it, so Vulpix would have to be ready to defend us both again. I scooped her up in my arms.

"Thanks, girl. I'll carry you for a little bit, so you can rest up."

I walked as quickly as I could over the slippery ice without falling, eager to get out of this place already. Not a minute later, I heard something from further down the tunnel. It was the same stomping as before, only heavier and faster. I don't know why, but rather than turn around and move in the opposite direction, I pressed onward to see what it was. I looked down the tunnel, and saw that same mass of brown fur zooming in my direction!

Vulpix took initiative and blasted the charging critter with another Flamethrower from my arms. Behind the Piloswine was a flock of Zubat, all of them screaming loudly as they tried to find refuge in the hysteria of the cave. The Piloswine practically ignored Vulpix's attack, and charged straight through. By this point my feet had become cemented to the ground with fear, so I couldn't even move to avoid the large beast. Before he ran me over, the ice underneath us cracked open, creating a hole underneath us both. As was par for the course, I fell through with the Pokemon, only this time reacted fast enough to climb atop the Piloswine.

Down on the lower level of the cave, the Piloswine took the brunt of the fall, effectively knocking it out. I was thrown off the large Pokemon from the impact, and Vulpix had also managed to land safely nearby. Once I was sure the Piloswine was out cold, I looked up at the hole we had fallen through. There was no way we'd make it back up there now.

"Well that's just great," I said with a sigh. "I hope there's another way back up there."

My complaint echoed through the tunnel, which would only serve to make things worse for me. The Pokemon in the Ice Path were unusually sensitive to noise it seemed, as another group of Swinub and a few Zubat emerged from the end of the cavern. Cursing my luck, I picked a Pokeball from my belt at random, releasing Eevee. The small critter stood ready at Vulpix's side, but I wasn't about to start another battle right here.

"Eevee, Sand-Attack!"

Eevee kicked up a gray dust cloud, completely concealing the wild Pokemon on the other side. I reached down and picked up both Pokemon, and stated running in the opposite direction. Like the floor above me, the ground here was covered in ice, so before long I found myself sliding across the cavern without any control. I screamed out, as did Eevee and Vulpix in my arms, until we went flying over a small rock I crashed into with my foot. We crashed onto more of the slippery floor, and went sliding again to the opposite wall.

Now that I was finally at a standstill, I looked back in the direction I had come from, but didn't see any of the wild Pokemon. I sighed, and looked back towards the exit of the cavern. Vulpix had been knocked out by the crash, so I went to scoop her up in my arms. At that same time, my eye caught sight of something glistening in the cave wall. I leaned it closer, and realized what it was: a water stone! Eager to collect the small treasure, I tried to pry it from the wall, but that proved difficult while carrying the unconscious Vulpix. Eevee, trying to be of help, started clawing at the rock. Before I could stop him, he made direct contact with the stone, causing his entire body to start glowing.

"Eevee? What's happening?"

Within seconds, the form of the small Pokemon nearly doubled in size, and the glow disappeared. Eevee had evolved, its brown fur now replaced by a brilliant coat of blue scales. The Pokemon examined its own paws for a second before turning to me.

"Eevee? Well, you're not an Eevee anymore," I said, reaching out to pet my new critter. "You evolved. You're a Vaporeon, now."

The Pokemon took a look at itself again, still unsure of what had happened. I looked to the stone on the cavern wall, noting that the rock had turned to dust after Eevee had touched it. Our small event was cut short when the wild critters from before showed up again. I got up off the ground, leaning against the wall for support. Since Vaporeon was still feeling a bit confused about what had happened, I reached for a different Pokeball to fight back. Before I could, he leapt into the crowd of wild critters, swinging his tail wildly to disperse the Pokemon.

"Vaporeon?" The Pokemon tackled one of the Swinub, and looked back at me, awaiting an actual command. I popped open my Pokedex to double check my options.

"Vaporeon, use Bubblebeam on the Zubats!"  
Its scaled feet now better suited to the frozen floor, Vaporeon backed away slightly, releasing a world of bubbles at the small flock of Zubats. The bubbles exploded on the critters, each one making a loud cracking sound and pushing the Pokemon further and further back. The wild critters turned tail, leaving us alone in the cavern once again.

I took this chance to look around the cave, and finally saw what looked like an exit. Whether it was out to Route 44 or Blackthorn City, I was willing to take it. Worst case scenario I'd have to head back to Mahogany Town for the night and press through the Ice Path again. At least then I'd be sure to dress for the occasion.

We emerged out of the Ice Path and into some warm sunlight. The first thing I noticed was the chatter of people in the distance, meaning I hadn't come back out on Route 44.

"Thank you!" I screamed into the air with a giggle. I looked over at Vaporeon, who still looked a bit confused at his new body.

"I'm sorry if you didn't want to evolve," I said to him. "I should've been more careful around that Water Stone."

The blue Pokemon shook its head, as if to reassure me. There really was nothing more I could do about the matter, so I was happy Vaporeon wouldn't hold it against me. Vulpix was also starting to regain consciousness, so I put her down and Vaporeon back in his Pokeball. As usual, my first stop would be the Pokemon Center.

Along the way, I wondered what I would do if the same thing ever happened to Vulpix. If she accidentally touched a Fire Stone and was forced to evolve. Could we ever be the same again?

~o~

After waking up the next morning at the center, and of course enjoying a warm meal courtesy of the local Joy, I made for the north end of town. My luck wasn't all bad, as I didn't seem to have the early signs of a cold, either. As I walked through the sparsely populated 'city', I noted how similar the buildings were to Ecruteak and Fuchsia. Before I could wonder a bit more about why the city seemed to empty that morning, I stumbled upon a crowd in the north end of town.

At the base of a small mountain, there was a great lake, and it looked like the entire city was standing around it that morning. Ever curious, I pushed my way through the crowd to the water's edge. In the center of the lake there was a building, the local gym as it would turn out, and just outside of it was a young lady sitting at the water's edge.

She raised her hand, and out of the lake flew up several Pokemon I was very familiar with. The Dratini and Dragonairs soared into the sky, slipping back into the lake without making so much as a splash. The townspeople gave a short and relatively quiet round of applause. Again the lady raised her hand, and the Pokemon repeated the act, this time demonstrating their ability to remain hovering the air. The crowd was more impressed this time, and the applause was a bit louder. Finally, she raised both her hands, Pokeballs in each one, and a Dragonair and Dratini leapt out of the lake and returned to their respective devices.

After another round of applause, the crowd started to return to their normal routine, while the lady trainer went inside the gym. I figured she could be the leader, so I followed her into the gym to ask her about her Pokemon.

Once I was inside the gym, I was actually a bit surprised to find that there wasn't enough space for an actual arena. The lady was sitting behind a desk tending to some papers when she noticed me come in.

"Who are you and what do you want? I'm busy," she barked, not giving me more than a split second glance.

"Hello, my name is Star. I saw your show outside just now," I started, but she cut me off before I could say anything more.

"Show? It was a demonstration of my command over dragon type Pokemon. I suggest you go to Cerulean City in Kanto if you want to see a 'show'. If that is all, please leave." She was definitely right about the girls at Cerulean City.

"I'm sorry," I said, unsure why she was so hostile. "I just wanted to ask if you were the gym leader here."

"As a matter of fact," she said, looking up at me again, "I am. Don't tell me you're looking to challenge me for a badge?"

"Well, I'm actually in a bit of a hurry-"

"Then be on your way," she snapped back, cutting me off again. "I told you I'm busy. Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

She went right back to her paperwork, not even caring to notice if I left or not. I stood there for a moment, wondering to myself how it was that some of the gym leaders could be so mean, yet others extremely nice. I looked down at Vulpix, who cocked her head in confusion. This was my last gym battle for the Johto region, so I couldn't just leave. So I stood my ground, and it only took her another few seconds to look up and see me still standing there.

"You're still here? What do you want?" She was getting more and more agitated.

"My name is Star, and I challenge you to a Pokemon battle."

~o~

The leader's name was Clair, as she'd later tell me, and like her early morning demonstration, she called in the entire city to watch our match. Since the gym itself was too small for the match, the actual arena was out on the lake surface, meaning Pokemon that couldn't swim were out of the question. Since Clair's preference was the dragon type, that meant Vulpix wasn't the best choice for the battle anyway. Like my battle with Koga, we stood side by side on the lakefront, while the rest of the citizenry watched the battle from all around us.

"The match will be two Pokemon against two. Since the arena is on the lake itself, obviously certain Pokemon and types aren't viable, so I trust that won't be a problem." Clair's attitude was starting to grate on my nerves, but I knew better than to go against the leader's rules.

"I'll be fine," I told her, reaching for one of my Pokeballs. "Should I send my critter first?"

Clair smiled at me, and released her Pokemon, the Dratini from earlier. I reached for Beedrill's Pokeball, confident in his ability to defeat the powerful dragon critter. The crowd around us let out a small round of applause, and the battle officially began.

"Dratini, Thunder Wave!"

"Beedrill, fly higher!"

Dratini's nub began to glow a bit before it released the electric wave into the air. Beedrill flew up higher into the sky, deftly evading the attack. I let Clair call out her next attack before I did, not wanting to risk Beedrill getting forced into the lake. If that happened, the battle would be over instantly.

"Dratini, Aqua Tail!"

Despite it happening only moments earlier, I had completely forgotten how Pokemon like Dratini could remain in the air. The Dratini shot out of the lake, its tail coated in a veil of water. Before I could issue an order, and even before Beedrill could react, Dratini slammed its tail directly into Beedrill, sending him crashing down into the lake. The battle looked to be over for the crowd, but I knew Beedrill still had some strength left.

"Beedrill, Pin Missile right out of the water!"

I think Clair didn't believe Beedrill could actually pull it off. I took a quick glance in her direction, that smug look of victory plastered all over her face. Dratini went gliding back into the lake when Beedrill erupted from underneath the surface. The dragon tried its best to evade the attack, but Beedrill managed to shoot right through him, and sent him flying to the other side of the lake. Beedrill shrugged off the earlier blow and water, while Dratini struggled to stay afloat.

"Dratini, Dragon Breath!"

"Beedrill, Poison Sting!"

It was a risky move, I'll admit, but if I tried to evade again by going into the air, Clair could pull the same trick with the Aqua Tail a second time. Dratini opened its mouth, blasting a wave of green flames towards Beedrill. Beedrill zoomed towards its target, cutting through the attack to deliver another powerful sting to Dratini. It did the trick, as Dratini went belly-up right after. Beedrill was also struggling to stay in the air, having been burned pretty badly by the breath attack.

Clair recalled her Pokemon, but I didn't ask for Beedrill to return. If her next critter was to be the Dragonair, I was planning to get in a pre-emptive attack with one more Pin Missile. Unfortunately, Clair had one other Pokemon in her repertoire that I hadn't seen. She produced the Pokeball from her pocket, and threw it into the lake. Thinking it would be Dragonair, I didn't order Beedrill to get higher into the sky.

"Hydro Pump!"

Shocked by her sudden command, I watched as a massive stream of water erupted from the lake, blasting Beedrill towards the sky. After a moment, he came falling back down, which I prevented by recalling the Pokemon just before he hit the water. Clair could hardly contain her glee at my loss. Ignoring her for a moment, I looked into the lake, trying to spot her Pokemon under the surface.

"Well? Are you going to call your next Pokemon, or would you spare us all the waste of time and forfeit?" Whatever Pokemon was hiding underneath the surface of the lake, it wasn't about to show itself before I released my next critter. I'd be going in blind, the only hint being it could be a dragon type. My selection wasn't in my favor, either.

"Ladies and gentlemen! I'm afraid this is the end of the battle!" Clair raised her arm to signal the crowd. She was obviously trying to rattle my conviction.

"Wait! I didn't say I quit yet!" I looked down at my belt, considering Vaporeon for the fight. I'd even out the playing field, but I didn't know enough about Clair's Pokemon to risk keeping the battle in her favor. I went with Yanma instead, to keep my aerial advantage. Once the large red bug was hovering over the lake, Clair continued her relentless assault.

"Kingdra, Smokescreen!"

A small snout poked out from the surface of the lake, but not long enough for me to scan the critter with my Pokedex. It released a huge cloud of smoke, blocking my view of the entire arena. The crowd didn't seem to like this either, as they started booing at Clair's tactic. Unsure what to do, I started scrolling through the Pokedex to see just what Yanma had at his disposal to counter this Kingdra.

"Kingdra, Hyper Beam!"

"Yanma! Detect!"

With the smokescreen still up, I couldn't tell if Yanma had successfully pulled off the command. A moment later, everyone saw a wide, colorless beam shoot into the sky from the cloud of smoke, dissipating enough of it for everyone to get a look at the Pokemon. Yanma was still hovering above the lake, while Clair's Pokemon was finally visible. I quickly scanned the critter to get a better idea of what I was up against.

"Kingdra, the Dragon Pokemon. It lives in caves on the seafloor and creates giant whirlpools every time it moves." I sighed, again being left in the dark by the device.

"Kingdra, dive underwater!"

The Pokemon vanished again without a hitch, leaving Yanma alone on the arena again as the last of the smoke disappeared. After using a move like Hyper Beam, Kingdra would need a moment to rest, so what better way to avoid my attacks than remain underwater. At this rate, I wasn't sure Yanma had a chance at winning. I glanced at his ability list again, and came up with an idea.

"Yanma, Double Team!"

The bug started flying around in a circle above the surface of the water, creating replica after replica of itself until there were about a dozen hovering about.

"Now, don't move!"

Each of the Yanma remained perfectly still over the water, only their wings buzzing. Double Team's flaw was that the replicas followed the lead of the real Pokemon, so any movement could tip Clair off as to which was real. The next move was up to chance. Either Yanma would fall, or Kingdra would be left open to an attack.

"Hyper Beam, Kingdra! Wide spread!"

"Yanma, scatter!"

Clair's Pokemon shot out of the water, blasting a wide beam of energy at the mass of replicas hovering about. I was lucky I had reacted as quickly as I did. A few of the replicas were hit and erased, but there were still several floating about. It was now or never.

"Yanma, Supersonic!"

Each of the Yanma in the air let out the sound waves, all of them bombarding Kingdra at the same time. The Pokemon flailed about in the water for a bit, trying its best to shake off the confusion. My attention returned to the Pokedex to see what was the best way to end the battle in a single shot.

"Kindgra, snap out of it and use Dragon Pulse!"

My attention shifted back to the field, where Kingdra tried to focus enough to execute Clair's command. Fortunately, it wasn't able to, so I returned to the Pokedex. There was only one attack powerful enough in Yanma's arsenal.

"Yanma, Ancient Power!"

All of the bugs fluttering about started to glow a bit. Rocks started to form out of no where, and within seconds they were sent flying towards Kingdra. The barrage lasted several seconds, but after it was done, the Pokemon still looked pretty healthy.

"Kingdra, Hyper Beam on that Yanma!"

Clair pointed out one of the bugs, having finally identified the real one. Before I could order Yanma to scatter around again, Kingdra charged up the energy for the Hyper Beam attack. As it was about to release the beam, Kingdra hesitated for a second, and there was a massive explosion in the center of the lake. The blast sent waves in all directions, soaking not only the townspeople but myself and Clair.

Once we had both regained our balance, we looked out onto the lake, where Kingdra was floating on the surface of the lake. Yanma was a little soaked, but otherwise in perfect health. The confusion had turned the tables on that last Hyper Beam. Once the crowd saw Yanma flying about, they started clapping and cheering for the large red bug. I smiled, and looked over to Clair. She wasn't happy, though.

~o~

I had been sitting inside the gym for about an hour already. Rather than give me the badge I won and letting me be on my way, Clair was scouring through several thick books on her desk. Every time I tried to ask what she was looking for, or what she was waiting for to give me my badge, she'd order me to be quiet. I was about to ask one more time when she finally snapped the last book shut.

"Nothing! I couldn't find anything!" She threw the book to a side, crashing into her chair. She looked across the desk to me.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I won't give you the Risingbadge." I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"What? Why not?"

"That battle was obviously a fluke. There's no way a pair of bug Pokemon could defeat my dragons. By all known Pokemon lore and mechanics, it just simply isn't possible!"

"I won!" I screamed at her, jumping out of my chair. "Fair and square! I want my badge!"

"Well, you won't be getting one. I've made my decision, now go." She set aside the books she was using, picked up her pen, and got right back to work on whatever it was she did at that desk. Vulpix started barking at her, but still she didn't budge. I was at a loss for words, to be honest, so I didn't even know what to say to her.

"Well, well. That's against the rules, Clair."

The voice was familiar. I spun around, and saw Lance standing in the doorway of the gym. Clair jumped out of her chair, equally shocked at seeing the League Champion standing there.

"Lance? What are you doing here?"

"Business, Clair. I happened to catch the last few minutes of your heated battle with Star. I figured you'd try and find some way to nullify her victory, but to flat out refuse to give up the badge? Do you want me to report you to the League, dear cousin?" I couldn't believe what I had just heard.

"Cousin? She's your cousin, Lance?"

"Indeed she is, Star. She almost became Champion herself at one point, too. However-"

"Stop! I'll give her the badge, Lance, just promise me you'll leave after I do." Clair reached into her desk, and produced a small, black badge in the shape of a dragon's head. She walked around the desk and handed it to me.

"I hereby award you with the Risingbadge, as proof of your victory against me in battle. Happy, Lance?"

"Very. Star, if you'd follow me, we have something to discuss." I followed Lance out the door, only taking one last look back at Clair. She scoffed a bit as I walked out the door, still annoyed at my victory, I guessed.

Back outside, I took the moment to attach the badge to my trainer card. Once that was done, I decided to ask Lance more about Clair's champion story.

"What happened, Lance? With Clair, I mean."

"Oh, nothing. See, we both tried for the championship, and both of us made it that far. However, I defeated her in battle, so I became the champion, while she was stuck with a gym leader position. We're not on the best of terms because of it. As for the badge thing, she gets a bit offended whenever a kid beats her. Pride thing."

"Oh, I see." Guess even adults could be crybabies in their own little ways.

"Now, on to business," Lance said, crossing his arms. "I just wanted to let you know that we have officially disbanded Team Rocket here in Johto and Kanto."

"Really?" I said, my eyes wide.

"Indeed. We struck their last hideout yesterday, which was also in Mahogany Town. Giovanni has managed to escape somehow, but his operations have ceased. I don't know if we'll ever catch him, but Kanto and Johto can rest easy at last."

"Yeah, I guess..." My voice trailed off. Giovanni had already done enough damage to last a lifetime for many people, myself included.

"So, I hope you enjoy the rest of your adventure, Star. Are you off to the Pokemon League from here?"

"Actually, no. I'm headed back to Olivine City right away! I'm taking a cruise to Hoenn, next." I smiled.

"Really? Would you like a ride to the city?"

"You mean, on one of your dragons?" I asked, more than willing to fly again.

"Sure thing. Least I could do after all your help with Team Rocket these past few months."

Lance released one of his many Dragonites, and helped me climb aboard the yellow Pokemon. He hopped on next, and we took to the skies in a matter of seconds. As we left the vicinity of Blackthorn City, I felt a flock of butterflies in my stomach.

My Johto adventure was finally over.


	43. Game Freak's Pocket Monsters

Game Freak's Pocket Monsters, Chapter 43

Even by air, getting to Olivine City required us to make a stop in Ecruteak City along the way. Dragonite wasn't the fastest flyer, and he was carrying extra weight with myself, Vulpix and the load of junk in my bag. I really had to sift through it at some point to lighten the load.

Rather than stay at the Pokemon Center as usual, Lance offered to pay for a hotel room. Naturally, I didn't turn him down, though I did try to at first. Mom always taught me to be humble, but if the offering party insisted... you get the idea. So we each stayed in our own rooms that night, and I even got to phone Mom in private from my room!

Well, that would've been extra cool, if only I didn't have to pay for it the next morning. Long distance call to Kanto, after all. And I certainly couldn't let Lance pay for that.

From there, we took to the skies again, and arrived in Olivine City just after noon. Dragonite touched down outside the city's north entrance, on Route 39.

"This is where we say goodbye," Lance mentioned after I got off Dragonite's back. "I have to get back to Indigo Plateau to report to the Elite Four."

"I understand. Thank you for taking me all this way, Lance. I was afraid I wouldn't make it back in time if I had gone on foot." Though to be honest, I didn't even know how much time I had left before the cruise arrived in the city.

"That's right, you mentioned heading off to Hoenn from here." Lance checked his own Pokegear, punching in a few commands before turning back to me. "The SS Aqua is due to arrive today, and will depart in four days for Hoenn."

"Guess I should go buy my ticket then, huh?" And if I was lucky, I'd be able to watch as the ship pulled into the harbor.

"Indeed you should. Take care on your travels, Star. And good luck in Hoenn!"

Lance gave me a salute, then took off on his Dragonite. I waved to him as he vanished from sight, then turned around and headed into town. Of course, my first task was to purchase my cruise ticket, then I had to pay someone a visit.

~o~

As it would turn out, I missed the SS Aqua's arrival at the harbor. I was distraught, but at least knowing the ship was in the city made it easier to find where to purchase my passage. I asked to see if I could share a room with Yunie, whom I'd be traveling with, but the man working there couldn't guarantee anything. Not much I could do to plead my case either, and it might not have been a bad thing. Yunie and I had hit it off when we met a while back, but perhaps not sharing a room together was for the best.

From there, I asked around the pier for directions to Yunie's address. She had invited me over, so I figured I could take her up on that offer. After wandering the streets in a corner of Olivine City for a while, I finally found the apartment building she lived in. Sure enough, her name was scribbled next to one of the buzzers next to the front door. I took note of the handwriting before I pressed the button.

"Hello?" Came a familiar-if-muddled voice through the intercom.

"Hi, Yunie?"

"That's me, who is it?"

"It's Star. We met-"

"Star!" She screamed, nearly breaking the sound on the intercom in the process. Even Vulpix was left startled by the sudden outburst. "Come on up! Quick!"

The intercom went silent, and the door to the building started buzzing. I pulled on the door, and it swung open without any problems. Vulpix ran in first, and started clawing at the elevator. Unfortunately, there was a sign covering the call button.

"'Out of Service'," I read aloud. I looked to the stairs nearby. "Yunie lives on the ninth floor."

Vulpix clawed at the elevator door a few more times in desperation. I started up the stairs, and she tried to climb up into my arms. Of course I didn't let her; if I had to climb up to the ninth floor, so did she.

After a grueling hike up to the ninth floor, I knocked on Yunie's door, marked 9-F. Guess that fit, considering her last name was Fields. The door swung open to reveal the girl I had met on the ferry.

"Hey, Star!" She said as she threw herself onto me. Yunie was roughly my size, if a bit taller. Though I couldn't be sure just how old she was. I was working under the assumption we were the same age.

"I was afraid you wouldn't make it back here in time!" She finally let me into her place. It was messy, like any kid's bedroom. Only this was her living room, and from what I could see, so was the kitchen equally messy.

"I made sure I wouldn't miss the ship," I half-lied. Were it not for Lance, I wouldn't have made it back.

"Don't mind the mess," Yunie explained. "Mom's been so busy, she hasn't had a chance to clean up after me."

"That's okay, my Mom's the same!" Another lie, this one completely so. Mom would spank me if I turned our house upside down like that. I knew that from experience, mind you.

"Listen, since you made it back in time, want to go somewhere with me tomorrow? It's really cool, I'm sure you'll love it!" By this point, Yunie had cleared off enough of her couch in the living room to give Vulpix and I a place to sit.

"Sure. I went to buy my ticket for the ship already, but they said we couldn't be in the same room together." And I forgot to mention it nearly left me broke.

"Leave that to me. I'll make sure everything works out!" She said with a wink. I was skeptic, to be sure, but at the same time I had a feeling Yunie would make good on that promise.

From there, Yunie was nice enough to invite me to dinner. Even if it was at a fast food place near her place; least it was free. Call me cheap, I don't care. She even invited me to stay over at her place, but that was one offer I turned down without even thinking twice. I appreciated the gesture, but if her living room and kitchen were that messy, I honestly didn't want to see her bedroom.

So after we ate and hung out for a while, we went our separate ways. Not to be mean, but hanging out with Yunie was tiresome. That girl had the energy of a toddler on a sugar rush.

At least I had several hours overnight and into the early morning.

~o~

"Hey! Wakey-wakey, Star!"

I instinctively slapped away whomever was trying to wake me the next morning, which resulted in nearly poking out Yunie's eye. Of course, I didn't know this when I was actually slapping her away, or while it happened, as I just rolled over and pulled the blanket over my head. After drifting in and out of a dream, one where I had just been awarded a tiara and become a princess, I was once again pulled into the waking world.

"Come on, Star! We have so much to do today!" Yunie continued to push and poke my back, trying to get me to move faster. After traveling across the region and back in less than two weeks, finishing my badge collection for Johto, and hanging out with Yunie for a few hours the previous day, was it wrong of me to want to sleep in a bit more?

"Can't it wait? I'm still tired." I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. There were still a few days until the ship arrived, so I saw no reason to rush anything at this point.

"No can do, Star! We'll miss the opening event!" Yunie pushed me around a bit more, which finally convinced me to get up.

"Event for what?"

"The Pocket Monster Convention!"

Thanks to Yunie, I didn't have to spend money on breakfast, nor spend it alone and silent, for better or worse. While I dined quite well on some pancakes, a food I sorely missed from my time back home, Yunie shared with me the happenings-to-come at this 'Pocket Monster Convention'.

See, Pokemon permeate almost every aspect of our world and culture. So, naturally, businesses and the like would do all in their power to make money off it. Reason why you see Pikachu backpacks and Jigglypuff underwear for girls. Not that I wear anything like that!

Well, the PMC, as Yunie shortened it, was an annual convention for the companies and fans to revel in all the latest trinkets and toys. They usually held it in Goldenrod City, but with the incident regarding Team Rocket, they relocated this year to Olivine City at the last minute. Despite my efforts back when I was in the city, the PMC didn't want to take any chances. I could only imagine the anger of some of the Goldenrod locals upon hearing this.

Yunie had taken all of yesterday to have her camera's film developed, lens cleaned, and internal make up scrubbed spotless. It was her first chance ever to get into the convention, and she wanted to make the most of it. I was just along for the ride, it seemed. She mentioned being able to bring along one 'assistant', which implied I was to help her along.

"Don't worry, I won't make you do anything! I just wanted you to have fun!" She assured me.

The event was being held in the center of the city, in a massive building that had been turned into party central almost overnight. Balloons of Pokemon both familiar and not covered the building, with performers in costumes greeting people outside the doors. The crowd was also immense; the last time I had seen this many people was back in Celadon City, during the festival. Yunie told me it would be a better idea to have Vulpix put into her Pokeball, and considering the amount of people all jammed into one place, I would've considered it, had Vulpix ever been in a Pokeball.

Yunie dragged me through the crowds, leading me by the hand while my other arm held Vulpix close to my chest. Because we were smaller than most of the people making up the crowd, we were able to slither through them towards the main entrance. We took up a spot just in front of the building, half a dozen glass doors just waiting to be smashed to pieces once the crowd was given entry into the building.

"Yunie, what's going to happen here?" I asked, feeling more than a bit nervous all of a sudden.

"Hold up, Star, busy." Yunie had her camera in her hands, snapping pictures like a girl possessed. I kept hearing the device click repeatedly, sometimes more than three on a single object. Wouldn't just one shot be enough?

"Sorry, had to get all this down. In a few minutes the security will let everyone in. Just hold onto my hand, and run as fast as you can. If you're not careful, they'll run you over in the chaos." My heart skipped a beat. This was scarier than any Pokemon encounter!

"Really? I thought you said this was your first time at this thing?"

"Actually, my second. I came once with my dad when I was little, but I don't remember much. When I asked him what it would be like, he said it changed a lot since he last came to one." Somehow, that seemed vaguely familiar.

Before I could say anything more, someone's voice echoed throughout the area on the speakers. I think he said something about the convention getting underway, which was probably it. Thing is, I didn't get a chance to even register it completely. Before I realized what was happening, I was running after Yunie, trying to keep up as the crowd behind us charged at full steam. We ducked through one of the glass doors, and through the security checkpoint without stopping. I think Yunie flashed her ID or something, because no one tried to stop us.

Of course, the reason why they didn't was because the mass of people behind us needed to be stopped first. Once we were in the clear, I looked back, seeing people being slammed against the glass outside, desperate to funnel into the building. It was worse than watching a stampede of Tauros in the Safari Zone.

"Listen, Star: things are going to get wild in here pretty fast. Just don't let go of my hand, and we'll be fine. Got it?"

I nodded, hardly able to voice anything with the impending rush just ahead of us. Yunie dragged me away from the entrance, zigzagging through the aisles towards some unknown destination. After a few moments we arrived at a wall, most likely at the other end of the floor.

"Why are we here?" I asked, before asking another question. "Where are we?"

"Cover," she said, pointing at a spare seat against the wall. "We'll stay here for a bit, wait until most of the people get inside."

"What? Why? Wouldn't it be smarter to start checking out everything while it's still empty?" Seemed like the logical thing to me, but Yunie shook her head.

"Nope, not a good idea. If you were a six foot tall guy, you could get away with that, but a pair of little girls like us? We'd get trampled by the crazies. We'll wait until the initial heat dies down, then take our time and check everything out. Save my spot, will ya? I need to go snap some pictures before the good costumes vanish!"

~o~

Like Yunie said, within minutes the building was packed to the brim. I had Vulpix sit down in Yunie's chair, keeping it safe from guys and the occasional girl from trying to take it. Most of the people there were dressed normally, though I did see a few in Pokemon costumes, usually a Charizard or Blastoise, with the kids in Pikachu ears. Maybe it was just me, but I noticed the Blastoise costumes were generally friendlier, while the Charizard guys were constantly picking fights. Pretty sure that'd mean something to someone out there.

After about an hour of waiting around for Yunie, she made her way back to the chair, crashing into it just as Vulpix moved out of the way. Her shoulder-length hair was a mess, no doubt from being pushed around in the crowd. I didn't say anything at first, letting her get a chance to breathe easy.

"Well," she said, taking a few deep breaths, "I got all the pictures I needed. Look!"

She dug into her jacket's pockets, and produced a few rolls of film. Each one probably had enough space for sixty or more photos, and there were three of them!

"Are those...?"

"Yup, all full. I can sort through the garbage later. At least I'm finished." She pulled a bottle of lemonade from her backpack, and chugged down almost half of it in a single gulp. Vulpix poked at me, clearly wanting to sample the cool beverage.

"Here you go, girl!" Yunie offered the rest of the drink to Vulpix, who gladly latched onto the bottle like a baby.

"Thanks. So, what are we going to do now?"

"Well, the rush is about done, we could get moving in a few minutes. There's a few stalls I'd like to show you."

Indeed, just like Yunie said, after another little while of waiting, the crowds started to thin out. She told me it was because a number of the stalls were mainly for sales, so once they ran out of new merchandise, plenty of people left the convention. The ticket for the SS Aqua had cost me quite a bit, so I didn't have a lot to spend here. Still, any small trinket to remember the convention by would be enough for me.

Along the way, we passed by a stall selling all sorts of little trinkets, from charcoal to an ice cube on a string! When I asked the clerk tending the shop, he said they were items for Pokemon, like the scarf I had won at the National Park earlier that month. I honestly didn't believe they could actually do anything to help a Pokemon in battle, but I was also sure the clerks would say anything to get you to buy them. They were also pretty expensive, too.

"At the very least they make great accessories for girls! You know my ribbon is actually meant for Pokemon!" Yunie pointed at the ribbon in her hair, which she had fixed into a ponytail before we set out from our chairs in the back.

"I have one too, I just haven't used it. It was a gift for Vulpix from some fashion people in Goldenrod City." Just mentioning that place got Vulpix all riled up, as she started scouring her surroundings for signs of those designers.

"After we get out of here, I'll tie your hair up in a ponytail, like mine!"

After glancing over a few other stalls, which sold anything from toys to eating utensils with toy Pokemon heads attached to the ends, we arrived at the first spot Yunie wanted to show me. It was run by a company called Game Freak, which was quite an odd name for a company. As it turned out, they were selling something called 'Pocket Monsters Version Red & Green'. They were handheld devices like a Pokegear or Pokedex, but weren't meant for trainer use. They were actually video games designed to emulate capturing Pokemon!

"Neat, huh? With this, you don't even have you leave your house to become a trainer!" Yunie picked up one of the games, and showed me the screen. On it, she was playing this boy with a red hat, a Bulbasaur following closely behind him. As she walked around in some tall grass, the screen started flashing, and suddenly the picture of a Spearow showed up opposite the kid. He released his Bulbasaur, and the game awaited Yunie's input.

"How are you supposed to play this?"

"Just tell your Pokemon what to do, like in real life!" She moved about the menu, selecting for Bulbasaur to use his trademark Vine Whip attack. The static image of the green critter shook a bit, then a pair of black vines poked the image of the Spearow. Its health bar ran out, and it fainted, which granted the Bulbasaur points for its victory.

"Try it, Star." Yunie thrust the device into my hands.

"Okay," I said, staring down the screen. I walked out of the tall grass, and continued north, when the surroundings went from green to gray, and I was in a city. I explored the locale a bit, and found a big building with the word 'GYM' plastered all over it. Intrigued, I went inside, and there was a little character vaguely reminiscent of Brock inside! I walked up to him, and the game displayed some text about Brock being challenged by the boy in the red hat.

The screen flashed again, which kind of hurt my eyes, and I was going head to head with a Geodude. Memories of my own battle with the real life Brock flooded my mind, but I kept my focus on the game. Since Bulbasaur was a grass type, a simple Vine Whip would easily down that pesky Geodude. And indeed, one hit later, it was knocked out, my Bulbasaur gaining a ton of points! I was actually getting into it, when the next Pokemon showed up, an Onix. Because this was a game, it looked no bigger than the Geodude that came before it, so I stuck with the same strategy, and used Vine Whip.

A few exchanges of poorly animated attacks later, the Onix fell, and Bulbasaur racked up even more points. The Brock in the game awarded me the Boulderbadge, and I was free to be on my way. It was certainly novel, but nothing like the real deal.

"You're quite the natural, Star. Sure you wouldn't just want to buy this and not go around endangering yourself?" Yunie joked.

"Nah, I'd prefer traveling with Vulpix. Video games can only do so much, and the animation was ugly. Some of the Pokemon hardly looked like the real things." I put the device back on the table, ready to move on. To my surprise, Yunie was picking up a copy for herself, the green version. As she paid for the game, I noticed it would cost her ¥4200!

"One more stop, Star, then we can leave or walk around a bit more if you want."

"Why'd you buy one?" I asked, a bit stunned she paid that much for the little trinket.

"You know I don't much like fighting for real. With this, I can pretend I'm actually on an adventure like you!"

We left the stall, and made our way down another few aisles, stopping by to glance at a number of other things here and there. I finally made a purchase along this route, a fluffy doll of a Jigglypuff. It was a bit big to be carrying around at all times, but it was too cute not to buy! A Jigglypuff was a Pokemon I never could get my hands on, anyway. There were also dolls of Vulpix, but with a real life version always at my side, I didn't need one.

The last stop was closed off from the rest of the convention with a fence. Inside, there were several tables, and people sitting down at each placing cards on and off in front of each other. Yunie paid the guy blocking the entrance some money, and he let us both in, giving each of us a small cardboard box the size of a playing card. Once we took a seat at an empty table, Yunie opened the box to show me what was inside.

"Playing cards?" I asked, opening my own pack.

"Trading cards! It's the TCG, or Pokemon Trading Card Game! It's another little invention by Game Freak." She spread out her cards in front of me. Unlike normal cards, these all had pictures of various Pokemon on them, with names of attacks and numbers written all over them.

"What are we supposed to do?" I looked at my own deck of cards, noticing mine was themed after fire critters, whereas hers was themed after thunder and psychic types.

"Well, the rules are a bit long, so we'll just play a quick free round, just so you get the hang of it. Basically, we take turns using our own Pokemon to fight each other! Only in card form, and because you have to shuffle the deck, the random chance makes the game pretty exciting!"

Following Yunie's instructions, I shuffled my deck around for a little bit, then drew seven cards. She walked me through the steps; selecting a critter, placing it on the field, 'benching' Pokemon for later use, attaching energy cards so that they could do battle. It was quite a convoluted process, though not overly complicated. In fact, compared to the lackluster recreation of a trainer's journey that the video game had, this made Pokemon battles feel more about strategy and timing than abusing type advantages.

We didn't finish the game we were playing, mainly because Yunie skipped over a few of the rules that eventually broke the game. She handed me a rulebook, and told me to read it if I was serious about getting into the game. After all, the deck I was using was a gift, one which I thanked her for considerably.

"You didn't have to! You've already bought me so many things while we've been hanging out together!" I was already feeling bad that I hadn't done anything for her.

"Don't worry about it! I just want us to have a great time together! Plus, this photography job pays a lot of money for a kid like me!" Yunie stuck out her tongue in a playful fashion.

"Still, I'll make it up to you! Want to grab something to eat when we leave?" The frugal part of my mind was screaming for me to stop, but I couldn't let this keep going. I had to at least offer her something.

"Well, if you want. Have anything in mind?" I looked down at Vulpix, who was looking a bit tired from the trying day. A nice little restaurant dinner would be ideal to relax and enjoy a food I hadn't eaten in a long time.

"How about we go somewhere where they serve pizza? I haven't had any in forever!"

"Sounds good to me! We can go whenever you want!"

We left the convention after sifting through the decks and trading a few of the cards we had. Where Yunie went looking for the more useful cards, I gave away mine for the ones of Pokemon I found cute. I was looking forward to learning how to play, but that didn't mean I had to take the same approach I did to battling. The joy of a card game was that even the weakest deck could win with a bit of luck and plenty of planning.

As we said our goodbyes to the security guards watching the entrances, I looked back one more time. It occurred to me that there was one photo Yunie hadn't taken.

"Hold up, Yunie! Come here!" I took her camera, pointing at where the film was supposed to go.

"There still some empty film?"

"Yeah, there should be. Why?"

"Excuse me!" I called to one of the security guards. He walked up to us, and I handed him the camera.

"Could you please take a picture of us?" The man nodded, and I grabbed Yunie by the hand and dragged her in front of the building. She caught on, and released her Pichu, so that he could join us in the shot.

"Say cheese, girls!"

We both looked straight into the camera, and gave it our best smiles. The flash that followed would create a physical memory we could, and would, treasure forever.


	44. A Voyage to Treasure

A Voyage to Treasure, Chapter 44

After spending that entire day together, Yunie vanished again for another pair of days. She told me she had to get all those pictures developed, and that took plenty of time. Alone in Olivine City, I decided to hit the streets and wander about.

The day after the convention, there were still hundreds of people more in town, but the day after that it seemed to quiet down as people returned home. For the most part, I spent my time at the park, letting Vulpix and my other Pokemon run free for a time. I couldn't begin to imagine how uncomfortable it was for them to be locked away in Pokeballs all the time. Between bouts of playing catch with Vulpix and Vaporeon, I took to reading that TCG rulebook and the newspaper. I wanted to make sure there wasn't any more developments regarding Team Rocket.

There wasn't much on them, save for an interview with Lance. According to the paper, he informed the reporter that Rocket had officially disbanded, and any remaining forces were to be considered rogue criminals and dealt with accordingly. With Giovanni off the radar, it felt like peace would reign over Kanto and Johto. And yet, I couldn't help but feel there was something missing from all this.

"Why, hello again, Star." I turned my attention away from the paper and to Jasmine.

"Hey! How are you? Come, sit down!" I threw the paper into the trash bin next to me, and offered Jasmine Vulpix's seat. She complained, of course, but I let her sit on my lap instead.

"What are you still doing here? Don't you have other badges to collect?" Her hair was fashioned the same as before, with the two little 'rabbit ears' held in place with barrettes.

"Actually, I'm done collecting badges here. I'm waiting for the SS Aqua to start boarding, so I can go to Hoenn." I reached into my bag, and pulled out my Johto trainer card to show her.

"Congratulations. Are you not going to visit Indigo Plateau, then?"

"No," I said, putting the card away again. "When I first started on my adventure, that was the plan. But as I went around Kanto, learning more and more about Pokemon and fighting, I decided not to. Instead, I came here, to do some more adventuring."

"I see, then why do you bother collecting the badges?" I could see why Jasmine would be confused. It was like working without pay, almost.

"Memories, challenge, checkpoints. The gyms in the region are kinda like points of interest. I travel at my own pace, and visit the gyms along the way. I haven't lost a match since Saffron City, my fifth gym. I'm not exactly sure what I'll do the day I lose another."

"I understand," said Jasmine, looking at my other Pokemon, who were relaxing on the grass just ahead. "If you challenge the leader again, it'd be almost pointless. Yet if you don't, your collection of badges will be incomplete."

"Guess I'll figure it out when if and when it happens." I smiled at Jasmine, who meekly smiled back at me. "By the way, Jasmine, how did you become a gym leader? You don't look much older than me."

"Well, sometimes gyms are inherited by the children of the previous leader, and sometimes, when the leader retires, they have to pick a new one almost immediately. I happened to be living here when they needed a new leader, so I was picked after Lance came by to test me."

"Just like that? Doesn't that seem a bit random to be official?" By that logic, I could be waltzing through a town at any given moment and be offered the job myself. Not that I'd take it; I have no interest in being a leader.

"Well, I don't work for in the League proper, so I'm not sure. Not that I mind being a leader, it suits me just fine."

"Yeah, I guess so. So, how old are you?" Rather than be caught off guard by the question, or blush, Jasmine put her finger to her lips and winked at me.

"That's a secret, Star."

~o~

The day of our departure had finally arrived. The SS Aqua was finally letting its passengers board, with its massive horn billowing throughout the city. Yunie showed up the same day, lugging around a suitcase almost as big as her.

"Where'd you get that?" I asked, helping her drag it along.

"Home, where else? Mom wasn't about to let me leave without packing a proper suitcase. Where's yours?"

"Right here," I said, patting my usual travel bag. "My house is in Pallet Town, so I can't exactly run back there to pack a suitcase."

"Oh, well, I hope you came prepared! The SS Aqua has all sorts of fun things to do on board, Pokemon battling aside. Got a swimsuit?"

"Yeah, are we stopping by some island along the way?"

"No, there's a pool on board! I tell you Star, this ship has it all!"

And Yunie wasn't kidding. From the extravagant main hall, lined with all sorts of sculptures of water Pokemon, to the halls belowdecks; everything was polished and sparkling. It was almost like being in a dream of a ship, the way it looked. Guessing it could be a new ship, I asked one of the deckhands, who told me the ship had only been in commission for a year. He also told me that it was pulling double duty now, since the SS Anne sunk a couple months back. This news, though old, shocked me! According to news reports, it was the work of Team Rocket and trainers on board the ship, after a massive battle broke out between the two groups. Glad I wasn't on that ship, then.

Yunie had arranged for us to share a cabin, after having talked to a few people around the ship and pier. How she was able to pull this off, being a girl my age, baffled me, but who was I to complain? Better to bunk with a friend than alone, or with a total stranger. Once we had settled in, we returned to the deck, awaiting castoff. Like Yunie said, there was a massive pool up there, in the shape of a Pikachu's head. Already a bunch of kids were splashing around inside, making me just a tad jealous. Vulpix was on edge, though, with so much water all around her.

"What's wrong, girl? Want to go back to the cabin?" I picked her in my arms, but rather than agree to the offer, she licked my nose and cuddled up close. She'd rather risk the ocean than be left alone.

"Starly's back in the cabin, Vulpix," Yunie chimed in. "You can play with her if you don't want to be here."

"Don't worry, I'll just keep her with me. Wouldn't want to miss the castoff while I'm belowdecks."

And missed it I would've. Just a few minutes after that little exchange, the ship's horn roared, signaling our departure. The ramp was retracted, the crowds on the pier cheered us on and waved goodbye. I was reminded of when I saw the SS Anne take off, wondering if that departure was her last. It also made me wonder if this was to be the SS Aqua's last. I didn't know how to swim; if something happened...?

"Don't worry," Yunie said, as if she were hearing my thoughts. "We'll have ourselves a great time!"

"What?" I said, panicking a bit.

"You looked a bit sad there, so I thought you were getting all weepy on me. Everything okay?"

"No-Yeah, yeah. Everything's fine." I waved back at the people, though I knew no one in the crowd.

Well, that wasn't true. As it turned out, there was someone I knew on the pier that day. Jasmine stood in the crowd, waving just as much as everyone else. Unfortunately, I didn't see her that day, but according to her, she saw me. We'd later meet on my adventure.

~o~

"Isn't this the life, Star?"

"Yeah, I guess." I answered Yunie, though if she were paying any attention at all, she'd have noticed I said it without so much as a hint of feeling. We were relaxing in the pool, which was great the first time, and the second, but now it was starting to get redundant. It was only the second day of the trip, and suffice to say, I was already being driven mad being around Yunie for so long.

"Let's lunch in a little bit, I'm starting to get hungry!"

"Sure, whatever," I answered, my voice trailing off. Yunie was a great person, very giving and friendly, but also extremely clingy when there was no where for her to vanish to for a pair of days at a time. After the ship departed yesterday, we got into the pool for a couple hours, then went for dinner. We got back in for a late night swim, or soak, in my case. I stayed on the steps by the exit, too afraid to even try to learn how to swim. This morning, we got in before breakfast, and after breakfast. At this rate, Yunie would have her fill of lunch and then cheer for another dip.

"Sounds like you're having the time of your life! Can't blame ya, it's great here!" Almost seemed like she was enjoying herself too much.

"I'm leaving," I finally worked up the courage to say, and got out of the pool. Yunie finally reacted to my words.

"Already? But lunch won't be served for another half hour!"

"Sorry, but I need to be alone for a while. I'll see you later." I wrapped myself in my towel and marched straight for the stairwell. The faster I distanced myself from Yunie, the better.

"Wait! Where're we meeting for lunch?" She screamed at me. I chose not to answer her.

Hoenn was still another four days away. Four more days with Yunie; the thought sent shivers down my spine. Not to seem like a meanie, but sometimes you just need time away from people, you know? I got back to our room, took a quick shower and changed back into my usual dress. Vulpix seemed to be enjoying herself playing with Starly, Yunie's Pichu. May have been a bit unfair to the little yellow Pokemon, but I needed Vulpix with me this time. I also made sure to grab my belt and Pokeballs.

The SS Aqua was a large ship, with plenty of places left unexplored. Yunie gave something of a small tour, but she mainly stuck to the places she was interested in visiting during the voyage. Of course, this excluded the entirety of B Deck, also known as the Battle Deck. It was down here where trainers gathered to flex their muscles while on the trip. I admit, I was starting to slip if I was turning to recreational battles for amusement. But at the time, I honestly didn't care, so long as Yunie wasn't involved in any way whatsoever.

Though battles could take place anywhere on B Deck, the majority of the trainers hung out in the cafe 'League On The Sea'. This little nook of the ship was owned and run by the Pokemon League itself, so rules were in full effect. Lining the walls were portraits of many different trainers, a number of which I recognized: Sabrina, Koga, Surge, Morty, Clair, Pryce; there was even a picture of Erika, as well as someone who bore a striking resemblance to Falkner of Violet City. If the rest of the portraits were of gym leaders, current and former, I would soon be meeting a number of them in person.

"Welcome, miss. What can I get you?" A waiter stopped by my table, notepad in hand, Pokeball on his belt.

"You always carry your Pokemon with you?"

"Sometimes guests order a challenge, and here even the helping hands must be prepared to accept. Is that what you'd like, miss?" I found it a bit amusing how he talked about battling so casually.

"Just a lemon tea, for now, thanks."

As my drink was prepared, I took in the sights and people around me. Many of them were young trainers, like myself, though there were a few stranger folk about. A sailor, a man with his son, a guy with long hair and guitar; people from all walks of life, with one thing in common. I was just amazed they weren't at each others' throats looking for battles.

"One lemon tea, for the miss. Anything else?"

"What're the rules for battling here? I notice no one's making any challenges."

"Well, if you make the challenge, the battle will commence, no questions asked. However, the guests here more often than not just want a place to relax and socialize with fellow trainers." I guess I could see the appeal. Trainers rarely spoke with one another outside combat, making us a bit of a group of loners. Perhaps it was in our nature, taking myself as an example. Much as I like Yunie as a friend, sometimes I just need to be alone with Vulpix and my other critters. I spend most of my time like that, anyways.

"Are you alright, miss?" The waiter leaned in a bit closer, snapping me out of my daze.

"Sorry, just a bit tired. What do you have for Pokemon to enjoy?"

I ordered some kind of special gourmet food specifically tailored to Vulpix. She seemed to enjoy it, which made me happy, if only a little. Even surrounded by people I could probably socialize with, if only for a little while, I still felt depressed. I didn't know what was wrong with me, and I hadn't the strength to try and figure it out, either. My loneliness and depression finally caught someone's attention, perhaps as a result of the tear that escaped my eye as I sat there staring blankly into space.

"Hello there. Are you alright?" I looked up, seeing an older boy, probably in his late teens. I wiped away the tear on my face, though it was a futile gesture.

"Yeah, just a little sad," I said, sighing heavily. Vulpix barked at him, but it was more of an invite than a warning. If she was alright with him, I guess there was no need for worry. I offered him the chair across from me.

"I'm Christopher," he said as he took a seat.

"Star. You worried about me?"

"I saw you sitting here all alone, I thought you might like some company. Traveling alone?" Normally, my guard would be up and alert when talking to total strangers about such matters. However, at that moment, I felt so disoriented and melancholy that I just said what was totally honest.

"Yeah, on my way to Hoenn to continue my adventure. Well, I'm sharing my cabin with a friend, but we're not traveling together."

"That's cool. I'm going back to Hoenn for a little adventuring myself. Your Vulpix there looks pretty well trained. You taking the League challenge?" I had a feeling I knew where Christopher was taking the conversation. Rather than answer him, I produced my two trainer cards, which I cleverly decided to carry with me this time.

"Wow, all sixteen badges from both regions! Impressive!"

"Yup, all thanks to my Pokemon's hard work. I'm not some newbie trainer." This was outright gloating, but it turned out to be a good thing. Simply talking to Christopher was already helping to improve my mood.

"No, you are not, Star. Almost makes me want to challenge you to a battle. Clearly, you're far and beyond the other trainers here." He was beckoning me to challenge him first, and I stupidly went and fell for it.

"Fine, I challenge you. About time I got out of this funk!" I rose from the table, which drew the attention of everyone else there. They all rose from their seats, and a few other waiters started shifting around the layout of the tables.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"They're making it a bit more comfortable for us to do battle. In the meantime, let's set the rules. How about two on two? Just a friendly spar." Almost felt like he was trying to soften the blow already. Wish I had known it was being softened for me.

"Okay, deal. Which Pokemon do you pick?"

The tables were moved to the edges of the cabin, and the other trainers quietly took their seats alongside the walls. Christopher took a spot near the kitchen, while I headed the wall next to the exit. Vulpix looked up at me, expecting to be sent out first. Normally, I'd wait for the opponent to select first, but I was starting to feel rather cocky. With Vulpix out on the field, Christopher picked his Pokemon: a Gengar.

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

"Use Hypnosis."

Vulpix opened her mouth to attack, but Gengar teleported above her, locking eyes. Vulpix wobbled around on her feet for a moment, before she fell over, knocked out cold.

"Now, Nightmare."

Gengar leaned in closer to Vulpix, digging his claws into her head. Of course, he went right through her, but continued to fiddle around with something, as if he could mess with her brain. After a moment, he finished, and backed away. Vulpix started whimpering, no doubt starting to feel the effects of Gengar's attack.

"Vulpix, wake up!" Despite my screams, she only continued to whimper and flail about in her sleep.

"Gengar, wake her."

Surprised by his command, I watched as Gengar floated over to Vulpix, and poked her in the head a few times. She shook off the grogginess, but didn't look as healthy as she did before falling asleep. The Nightmares had taken their toll.

"Let's call this one a victory on my end, okay? I don't want to hurt your Pokemon anymore than I have to." Christopher recalled his Gengar, which illicit a small round of applause from the other trainers. Since he did spare Vulpix from any real harm, I gave in and called her back to my side. This time, he chose first, and released a tall Pokemon I had never seen before. Without my Pokedex on hand, I couldn't see what it was really called.

"I've never seen that Pokemon before," I said, getting a closer look at it. It looked a lot like a human, but was covered from head to toe in red and yellow feathers. His hands resembled talons like a bird.

"He's a Blaziken, a Pokemon native to Hoenn. Choose your Pokemon, Star." I wasn't sure who to pick at first, until Blaziken snorted a pair of small flames in my direction. Perhaps with a clear type advantage, this battle could be won for a tie. I went with Vaporeon.

"Vaporeon, Bubblebeam!"

"Blaziken, defend and proceed."

Vaporeon blasted the red critter with the attack, each bubble exploding with a powerful amount of force. Surprisingly, Blaziken forced his way through the attack, his arms raised in defense and negating most of the damage! I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

"Now, Blaze Kick."

Blaziken spun around, delivering a powerful foot to Vaporeon's face, one that was covered in flames. Despite it being a fire attack, Blaziken struck with such force that Vaporeon was left unconscious. His Pokemon possessed such power, even type advantages weren't helping!

Christopher recalled his Blaziken, and another round of applause went out for him. He beat me like it was a practice round against a straw dummy. With the battle over, the waiters sprung into action, fixing the tables back the way they were.

"Miss, would you like me to send your Pokemon to the infirmary?" The waiter from earlier was offering, so I put Vaporeon back into his Pokeball and handed him to the waiter.

"How long will it take?"

"Don't worry, I'll have him sent back to your cabin as soon as he's in perfect health. Just tell me which room it is."

After setting that up with the waiter, I turned my attention back to Christopher, who continued to smile at me as if nothing had happened. Of course, he won the match, so he was free to feel smug.

"I'm sorry your Vaporeon was hurt. I didn't mean for Blaziken to overboard with his attack."

"How was he able to withstand my Bubblebeam? Isn't he a fire type?"

"Yes, he is. But my Pokemon are at such a high level, they can resist their opposing types quite effectively. It still hurts them, but they've learned to withstand the pain."

"Sounds cruel," I said bluntly. Christopher laughed it off, which almost made me hate him more.

"I understand what you're saying, Star, but becoming a champion means making a few sacrifices."

"Champion? You're trying to overthrow Lance?"

"Actually, I want to become champion of a different region: Sinnoh. Lance has been in charge of the League in Kanto for so long, I don't think anyone will ever kick him out. Well, I'm afraid I must be going, Star. I have a date to attend. Hope your Pokemon get better soon."

Christopher got up from the table and left, just as suddenly as he walked into my life. I left soon after, not being able to stand the looks from the other trainers. There was no shame in losing to a better trainer, especially one so far ahead in terms of skill like him. Yet, because I was the one that grew overconfident and challenged him, it made me look bad.

Back at our cabin, I ran into Yunie again, who had only just returned from the pool.

"Oh! Star! Great timing! I was about to go get some lunch, want to come?"

"Yeah, sure. Why not?" I had satisfied my need to be alone, and to battle. I could endure Yunie's company for a while longer.

~o~

"Star! Guess what I just heard!"

"The ship will be arriving two days ahead of schedule?" Yet another morning off on the wrong foot courtesy of Yunie. I rolled over in my bed, trying to block out the light.

"Nope! There's some kind of contest being held today on A Deck! I heard they're going to be giving away great prizes!"

Now, how did Yunie find this out? Far as I knew, she was with me the entire time yesterday once we met up for lunch, and afterwards for dinner and general relaxation in our cabin. Short of her getting up before dawn and asking around, there was no way for her to know this. Narrative convenience aside, I was not one to turn down a chance at winning something in a contest. After getting dressed, I followed Yunie to A Deck, Vulpix tagging along today. If the contest was Pokemon related, as everything usually was, I wanted to make sure I was prepared. I left my other critters in the cabin, however.

"Yunie, how did you hear about this contest? More importantly, when?" Yeah, it was still bugging me.

"Does it matter? Point is we know about it, so might as well give it a shot!" I merely sighed. Sometimes I felt this entire adventure was being dictated by some snarky god.

Up on A Deck, several passengers were running around, quite a few of them in Pokemon costumes. Before I even had a chance to ask what was going on, I lost track of Yunie. Whether this was a good or bad thing was up for debate. Alone again, I wandered through the crowd, feeling like I was in some sort of wonderland. Some of the costumes were pretty lame, like a cheap mask and clothes of vaguely the same color as the Pokemon. Others showed true creativity; one person was dressed up as a Blastoise, massive shell made of plastic and all!

In the center of the all this was a huge sign, and Yunie standing in front of it. On the sign was a bunch of rules for this contest, and it suddenly occurred to me how she always seemed to know these things. That uncanny knack she had to disappear at times must've contributed to it. I walked up next to her, reading the sign for myself.

[One and All: SS Aqua's Pokemon Costume Pageant!]

In short, the staff of the ship holds a pageant on every voyage to and from Hoenn. Apparently, there's something similar of importance in the Hoenn region, so it was created to help bridge the gap between the two regions. The contest was for people to dress up as Pokemon, and the winner would get something quote 'extra special'. If the Bug Catching Contest gave away useless trinkets like scarves and ribbons, I wasn't expecting much from this one.

"Well, Star? How do you propose to win?" Yunie held her head up with one hand, like you normally do when thinking hard about something.

"I don't have a costume," I told her. "So I don't think I can even join up."

"That's where you're wrong! See, short of you knowing ahead of time about this contest, no one would come prepared! There's a selection of Pokemon costumes here, but the true winners know how to alter them just enough to win!" Yunie grabbed my hand, dragging me across the room and into a smaller room turned into a closet. Lining the walls were dozens of costumes, of all kinds of Pokemon, many of which I didn't even recognize.

"Wait, why are you pushing me into this? Aren't you going to try?"

"I'm no where near as cute as you! You have the better chance of winning, so better to focus on one good chance than two maybes." Yunie was lying, of course. I think she didn't want to join herself, but still wanted to use me to play dress up.

"Okay, fine. I want to win as well, so what should we do?"

"First, we need to pick the perfect Pokemon! Let's see what kinds of kid-sized costumes they have."

Yunie started sifting through one row of costumes, while I started on the other. Ideally, I'd want a Vulpix costume, but I was open to most any other Pokemon. I wasn't big on dress up, so I'd be relying on Yunie's input to win this time. Though a few of the costumes were adorable, like a Paras outfit, or even a Mareep outfit, there was a Vulpix one as well. Take a wild guess as to which I ended up choosing.

"Looks solid enough," Yunie said, inspecting each part of the outfit. "There's a pair of ears, tails, and gloves in the shape of paws."

"Looks like an instant win. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Yunie said, which surprised me a bit. "Nothing at all. Why don't you get changed? I'll stand outside the door and make sure no one sneaks a peek."

Once she was outside, I started changing right in front of the door, my own preventive measure against peeping toms. The Vulpix outfit was a brown shirt and pair of shorts, along with the ears and gloves. It was simple, but the illusion that I was a Vulpix was pretty convincing, especially with the tails attached. Vulpix seemed to love the outfit, as she couldn't stop running circles around me, barking wildly. I opened the door, letting Yunie back in.

"Wow, real cute, Star! I knew it'd work!"

"What? It's the same costume as before, isn't it?"

"I meant that!" She pointed at Vulpix, then it finally hit me. People were dressed up as Pokemon outside, but I hadn't seen a single one with the Pokemon they were dressed as by their side.

"So, you think we have a chance of winning?" I asked, suddenly hopeful.

"Star, far as I'm concerned, you've already won!"

~o~

I lost.

I got third place, actually. The judges and crowd were all loving my outfit, especially with Vulpix at my side for comparison. However, second place went to an older girl dressed as a green bird Pokemon, Xatu I think was the name, and first went to a woman in a Ninetails outfit. I think you can see how she won first place. Still, the end prize wasn't a total loss: we each got to choose one of five solid white Pokeballs on a table. Four of them were empty, while one contained a Pokemon as a gift.

The Ninetails woman got to pick first, and chose an empty Pokeball. Rather than go next, the Xatu girl offered her place to me, no doubt hoping I'd pick an empty Pokeball to increase her chances. Of course, I saw this, but didn't object. There was still a 25% chance I could pick the right Pokeball. And pick it I did! I released the Pokemon inside the device, revealing it to everyone in the room.

It was white in color, its head shaped almost like a beret, and its tail formed like a brush. I didn't know what kind of Pokemon it was, but luckily, Yunie was there with that information.

"It's a Smeargle! Those are pretty rare!" The crowd gave me a round of applause, though the Xatu girl looked pretty angry and regretful of her decision. No doubt she was thinking something along the lines of 'and I was going to pick that one!'

Once the excitement died down, I left with Yunie. Rather than line up to change and return the costume, I took it with me back to the cabin. Yunie offered to take it back herself, leaving me alone in the cabin with my new Pokemon. I reached out cautiously, petting him on the head.

"Hello, Smeargle. I'm Star, your new owner," I told him, though once it was out, it felt a bit wrong. True, as far as we were concerned, I did own Smeargle, but it only sounded bad as I said it to him. He would prove to be a great ally and friend, yet this was how I introduced myself?

"Actually, let's start over. I'm Star, your trainer, and I hope we can be friends."

Yeah, it might have sounded a bit juvenile and crazy, but I couldn't shake the feeling. Smeargle didn't seem to care either way, and just tried to paint something on my face with his tail. I let him pass his tail over my cheek, giggling a bit as it tickled me. Vulpix just sat by us, watching him intently, yet also studying my own reactions. Once Smeargle had finished, I brought Vulpix closer, putting her between the two of us.

"This is Smeargle, Vulpix. He's our newest friend. Say hi!" She looked back at me, then at Smeargle. The doglike Pokemon didn't say a word, just stare blankly at her. Vulpix eventually nodded, and barked a couple times at him. Smeargle nodded, as if understanding whatever it was Vulpix said.

"I hope we all get along in Hoenn," I told them both, looking out the window. The sky was looking dark, as if a storm was on the horizon.

"And I hope nothing bad happens there, either."


	45. The Waves of Dewford Island

The Waves of Dewford Island, Chapter 45

Another crash of thunder echoed in the cabin. Those storm clouds were intent on ruining the last leg of our trip. Because of the intense rain, not to mention the crashing waves, the captain ordered everyone belowdecks. Of course, I was not one to raise a protest. Just by looking out the window in our cabin, I could tell it was bad out there.

The storm began late yesterday afternoon, just after Yunie and I finished dinner. After having been beaten by Christopher, I decided not to show my face anywhere near B Deck again. It was a friendly spar and no one there probably even remembered how badly I lost, but I still felt a bit embarrassed. That being said, I would have to stick with Yunie the rest of the voyage, which was only another couple days.

So after having dinner in our cabin together, talking about all sorts of stories from our time on the road, the rain started. At first it was just light rain, then it got worse. The ship started to rock as we went to bed, but it was hardly noticeable.

Then, the next morning, we thought we had woken up earlier than usual. Truth was, it was already ten in the morning, and it was still pitch black outside. The ship was rocking worse now, and from our cabin window we could see the massive waves as they bombarded the ship. For once, I could tell Yunie was scared, rather than dismissing it with her usual cheery attitude.

"You think one of those waves can turn the ship over?" She asked at one point, holding her Pichu close to her chest.

"Maybe," I said, not really thinking about it too hard. "I'm actually scared, too. I can't swim, you know."

"Won't matter if the ship is flipped upside down. We'd drown before ever getting out." I looked back at Yunie, who was squeezing Starly tighter than before. The little yellow critter seemed desperate to escape. I walked over to her, loosening her grip on Starly. As the Pokemon scurried away, I let go of her hand, watching as she continued to hug at air, trembling all over.

"Yunie? What's wrong?"

"I don't want to die, Star," she said after a pause, tears forming in her eyes. "I don't want drown like my parents."

This hit me with the force of a brick wall. When I first visited her house, the place was a mess because her mom worked long hours and hadn't had a chance to clean up. She even made mention of the large suitcase her mom had packed for this trip. Was it all a lie? Was she just trying to deny it ever happened? Unsure what to say next, I just stayed quiet for a moment, letting her steer the conversation.

"She drowned at sea, you know? A storm hit, just like this one, and flipped her boat over. The doctors, they said she was trapped in her own cabin, and... and-" She broke down in tears, the memory too painful to share. I held her close, letting her cry for as long as she needed to. Even I got a little watery eyed. I was never good at keeping myself from crying when I saw someone else do it.

"I'm sorry, I didn't meant to-"

"It's okay," I said, cutting her off with a stroke of her short hair. "I didn't know."

"I made my own suitcase. I packed in a bunch of other things because it's what Mom would've done. I used to live in a shelter, until Professor Elm hired me. He helped me get back into my old apartment, which Mom and Dad left in my name. He showed me how to keep everything in order, and even hired a nanny to look in on me from time to time. I'm just never home."

"Because you go out to take pictures?" I guessed.

"Yeah. It's sad to be at home all alone, you know? So when you came over, I just pretended. I didn't want to tell you that I lived there all alone, or that-" She fought back a sob. It must have been hard for her to talk about this, and I she just kept going. I gave her another hug.

"It's okay," I whispered. "You don't have to say anything else."

Starly climbed back onto Yunie's bed at this point. She squeezed between myself and Yunie, offering her own comfort to her trainer. Another bolt of lightning flashed outside the window, and the ensuing crash echoed in our room. It was as if the storm was terrorizing us on purpose.

"Well," I told Yunie, in an effort to lighten the mood, "At least I know swimming will be the least of my worries, right?"

Before Yunie could react, the entire ship was rocked to by a wave, sending us tumbling off the bed and onto the ground. I looked up to the window, seeing only water pressing up against it. The ship was held at a forty degree angle for a few seconds, before another wave slammed it back to a normal orientation. Outside in the hall, we could hear other people crying and screaming. The storm was getting worse, and I was starting to fear the possibility of the ship sinking becoming a reality.

"Attention, passengers," a voice echoed in the cabin and outside. "This is your captain speaking!"

"The storm has taken a turn for the worst. The ship has taken some damage, but do not worry, she will not be sinking on this voyage. However, as a precaution, we will be dropping anchor at Dewford Island, and await the passing of the storm. Please remain in your cabins until further notice."

After that, the ship continued to rock back and forth for a while. Neither I nor Yunie said anything else, but we stayed close together, our Pokemon at our sides. Our only solace was in the captain's ability to get us to this island in one piece. Somehow, I knew we'd make it out of that in one piece. I didn't want to- no, I couldn't believe my tale would end on some ship out at sea. After all, my boy- my friend, Deneb, wasn't there with me. Just wouldn't be right without him.

~o~

Meals were brought to our cabin, and time passed normally enough while braving the storm. However, neither Yunie or I noticed we had dropped anchor at Dewford Town until the very next morning. The storm had finally passed, the sky was a bright blue, and the ocean looked calm. Yunie was still asleep when I took Vulpix and went out on deck.

I had missed the memo, as only sailors and crew members were out and about. Before anyone there could chew me out and force me back belowdecks, I ran over to the ramp, which was extended to reach a bunch of rocks on the side of the ship. The rocks led into a small town by the beach, which was also my next destination. Once off the ramp, I hopped across the rocks into town, Vulpix trailing close behind.

Since departing on my adventure, I had seen a grand total of three kinds of buildings in the various locations I had visited. The most common was concrete; tall skyscrapers and small, cubed houses seen in places like Goldenrod City and Saffron City. Second, the more 'oriental' style housing, like in Fuchsia City and Ecruteak. The last was a unique house, Bill's mansion up on the hilltop back in Kanto Route 25. Hoenn started off on the right foot, despite Dewford not being our intended destination, by introducing me to yet another lifestyle.

The town was tiny, far smaller than even Pallet Town. The houses all looked to be made of wood with ceramic roofs, clearly designed to weather the harmful effects of the seawater. Not that I knew much about any of this, but it felt like a good enough guess on my part. I expected the town to be quiet and humble, but was again surprised by the amount of people scurrying about to help out the SS Aqua. The cruise ship was far too large to properly dock at the town's miniature port, so they had to take the route over the rocks to reach the ship.

As I wandered through the town, I noticed a few people running into one of the larger houses by the beach. Since most other people were running towards the SS Aqua to lend aid, my curiosity got the better of me. I knocked on the door, hearing plenty of chatter inside. No one answered, so I knocked again. The chatter didn't stop, so I opened the door, intending to use the excuse that I heard someone let me in if asked.

Inside was a mess of epic proportions. There was a huge table in the center of the room, with computers and papers scattered all over. People were running to and fro, some of them talking on their Pokegear phones, others carrying papers from one end of the room to the other. As I watched in awe at the chaos, I didn't notice Vulpix disappear into the mass of people. Within seconds, I heard a scream from one of the women in the room.

"There's a wild Pokemon in here! Help!" My eyes shot open, and it was then that I noticed Vulpix was missing. I pushed my way through the people, trying to get to Vulpix before someone tried to hurt her.

"Don't worry, I'll get it!" One man threw a Pokeball out, releasing a critter I had never seen before. Vulpix noticed the opposing Pokemon, and turned tail, running back into my arms.

"Back! Stay away from the girl!"

"It's okay," I yelled, holding my fox close. "She's my Pokemon!"

Once the excitement had died down, the man pointed to the stairs nearby. I took them up to the second floor, his Pokemon following me closely. Once up on the second floor, I pulled out my Pokedex and scanned the critter.

"Azurill, the Polka Dot Pokemon. It battles by flinging around its tail, which is bigger than its body. The tail is a floatation device in water."

"A Pokedex? I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were a trainer," the man said, catching me just as I finished listening to the device's description. He put his Pokemon back into its Pokeball, and told me to have a seat.

"My name is Star, and this is Vulpix. We were on board the SS Aqua, and snuck off the ship this morning." Vulpix barked at the man, both as a greeting and a warning not to mistake her for a wild critter again.

"Well, let me be the first to welcome you to the Hoenn region! I'm Darrin, and this here's Dewford Hall, home of the Information Exchange!"

"Information Exchange?" I tilted my head.

"Let me explain: here in Hoenn, we consider trends to be an important part of our culture. Being a relatively small island compared to the other areas of the world, fashion, fads and information spread here like wildfire! You know the Pokemon Contests originated here, right?"

"Contests? They some kind of Pokemon battle?" This wasn't the first time I had heard the term. Whitney had mentioned something about it while I was in the salon in Goldenrod, but didn't give it much thought then.

"Not at all! Contests are a special sport, you might say, where Pokemon's grace, beauty and skills are judged. The biggest, strongest don't often win, as everyone knows: cute Pokemon are the cutest!"

"I see," I responded, though that was the dumbest thing I had heard in some time. "So, what happens here?"

"We exchange information! Anything that happens, goes through here at some point, if it doesn't originate here in the first place. We pride ourselves on this little fact."

"So, the SS Aqua having to stop here to avoid the storm..."

"Will be front page news all over Hoenn by tonight! Tomorrow, the rest of the Pokemon world will know! It's why we're so busy right now."

"Well, thanks for sharing all that," I said, getting up out of my chair. "I think I should be heading back to the ship now."

"What's the hurry? I heard the repairs on the deck will take a bit of time, so you can stay a while longer!"

"Thanks, but I really should be getting back before my friend goes crazy looking for me." Half truth there; I actually wanted to explore more of the town before the ship was repaired.

"Well, it was a pleasure talking with you, Star. Don't forget to pay a visit to Dewford's gym, since you're a Pokemon trainer and all. And keep your ears peeled: never know if we'll spread a story about your visit to this hall!"

Darrin was a nice guy, sure, but the rest of the people in the hall were creeping me out. Conviviality was not one of my strongest suits, and my fears of being left behind by the SS Aqua weren't false, either. Darrin's information would prove helpful, though: if repairs were going to take a few hours or more, I had plenty of time to visit Dewford's gym.

~o~

Dewford's gym went above and beyond in terms of appearance. There was a normal entrance on the edge of town, but it was actually only a single wall with a door. Through it, I had to walk across a narrow rock bridge over the ocean to the actual arena. It was a small island south of the town, almost completely shielded by tall, jagged rocks. Inside, there was a stone arena, and while unmarked, the boundaries were clearly visible. Sharp rocks surrounded the typical rectangular arena, and any Pokemon thrown into it would suffer quite a painful blow, if not an outright end.

However, the leader was no where to be seen. His or her end of the field was empty, a stone throne sitting silently with a surfboard next to it. Intrigued, I walked across the arena, being extra careful to not trip and fall into the sharp rocks around me. The surfboard looked like it had seen much use, with the name 'Brawly' etched into one corner. Eager to get the battle started, I called out for the leader.

"Hello? I'm here to challenge the gym leader!" My voice tried to echo in the void, but escaped through the hole in the ceiling. Vulpix barked a few times to help me, but no one showed up.

"Maybe he's helping out with the SS Aqua? Let's head back, Vulpix. If anything, we can always come back here ourselves after reaching Slateport."

"That won't be necessary," a voice sounded from the opposite end of the room. I looked across to see a young man with blue hair, of all colors, standing on the challenger's side of the arena.

"Are you the gym leader?"

"That I am. Brawly's the name, and I don't think this is a good use of our time. In case you haven't noticed, there's a cruise ship in need of help just outside town."

"Well, I was on that ship," I said. "But I heard it would take a while to repair, so I figured I'd come here to take on the gym in the meantime."

"Oh, I see. Well, tough luck, kiddo. I'm not about to waste my time battling now." Brawly turned around and left the room, which left me a bit shocked. I thought it was against League rules to deny a challenge!

"Wait! You can't say no!" I ran across the arena after him, Vulpix giving chase as well. I managed to catch up with Brawly just outside the entrance.

"Can't say no? You probably come from the League in Kanto, right?"

"Yeah, I did. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Different region, different rules, kid. The League spans most of this part of the world, yes, but each region has their own branch. Your champion- what's his name?- hasn't got any standing here. Neither do your rules. I can deny a challenge out of technicalities, fatigue, or even boredom. So take your pick."

"I'm sorry," I said, trying to kiss up a bit to get him back into the arena. "I didn't know! I just wanted to take advantage of the fact we stopped here!"

"And the ship's crew could use my Pokemon's help to get it back underway. Challenge denied." He turned around again, heading towards the SS Aqua.

"They can take care of it! One challenge won't take long!" Vulpix barked a few times to help me out, which made Brawly turn around again to face me.

"Assuming it wouldn't, are you even registered for the League here in Hoenn? You just came over on the ship, didn't you?"

"Registered?" Surely, he wouldn't go there.

"You know, a trainer card for this region." That I didn't have.

"Y-Yes," I lied, praying all the while he wouldn't ask me to show it to him. "I'm all s-set!"

"Fine," he said, with a heavy sigh. "But you better know I'm doing this against my better judgement. And a word, kid: you may not want to go running around with that kind of attitude here in Hoenn."

"Attitude?"

"You sound like a spoiled brat." A harsh way of putting it, and he was right. Though, you know I'm not like that, I just wanted to get this battle over with before departing. Not that Dewford Island wouldn't be worth visiting again, it looked like a great vacation spot.

I followed Brawly back to the arena, and he took his spot in front of the stone throne. Once I was set up as well, he released his first Pokemon. It was a small blue critter, its white head resembling an onion, of all things. I pulled out my Pokedex to scan it ahead of time.

"Meditite, the Meditate Pokemon. It never skips its daily yoga training. It heightens its inner strength through meditation."

"We'll make this simple and quick: my two team Pokemon versus your team. No limits, just make it quick."

"Gotcha!" The last time I had a freeform battle was against Sabrina. I didn't think I'd have the same amount of trouble against Brawly, but I wasn't about to go in blind, either. Meditite was a fighting and psychic type, so I went with Yanma to start. Once both our Pokemon were out, Brawly started the match.

"Meditite, start with Meditate!"

"Yanma, go in for Wing Attack!"

Meditite dropped to his knees and closed his eyes, charging up his strength. Yanma dove in at blazing fast speed, intent on breaking Meditite's concentration. Yanma nearly crashed into the Pokemon completely, stopping just short to slap the blue critter with his wings. To my shock, somehow Meditite had evaded the attack, not even flinching from his meditative stance!

"Meditite, Force Palm!"

The blue Pokemon's eyes shot open, and the outline of a palm shot through the air from Yanma's left. Before the bug Pokemon could move out of the way, he was struck directly, forcing him to the ground.

"Yanma, get up, quick!"

"Meditite, Hi Jump Kick!"

Yanma moved quickly, getting back into the air. However, Meditite moved just as fast, and once Yanma was airborne again, the small blue critter flew up after him. His small foot crashed into Yanma's face directly, sending him back down to the ground. I went with a different strategy.

"Yanma, Ancient Power!"

"Meditite, Reversal!"

From the ground, Yanma flashed for a moment, creating half a dozen rocks around him. He launched the boulders towards Meditite in the air, but the Pokemon started glowing as well, and took each rock with seemingly psychic energy before launching them straight back at Yanma. He was struck with all six rocks, effectively knocking him out of the match. I recalled my Pokemon, feeling a bit embarrassed at my loss.

"Poor performance, kid. We can call it quits now, save some time."

"Not a chance!" I picked Beedrill this time, a new strategy cooking in my head.

"Meditite, start with Meditate again!"

"Beedrill, Poison Sting!"

I heard Brawly chuckle from afar, meaning my plan was already working. Beedrill zoomed into Meditite, but I screamed out just before he got too close.

"Beedrill, Toxic Spikes instead!"

Beedrill stopped short, releasing the tiny, almost invisible barbs all over the ground. Meditite budged ever so slightly, stinging itself in the process. His concentration broken, I went in for the next attack.

"Now, Twineedle!"

Beedrill zoomed in again, driving both his massive stingers into the smaller Pokemon. Meditite was forced backwards, which landed him on even more poisonous barbs on the ground. Meditite tried to get up, but it was clear to both Brawly and myself that he didn't have the strength to keep battling. Brawly recalled his Pokemon, readying up his next.

"Rad recovery, but there's still one more Pokemon to beat!" Brawly threw out his next Pokeball, which revealed yet another critter I didn't recognize. I quickly scanned it with my Pokedex for a better idea on what it was.

"Makuhita, the Guts Pokemon. It grows stronger by enduring harsh training. It is a gutsy Pokémon that can withstand any attack."

"Let's prove your Pokedex correct! Makuhita, Arm Thrust!"

"Beedrill, fly up high!"

Despite Makuhita being a rather chubby little Pokemon, he jumped surprisingly high to catch Beedrill. With a swift motion, he slapped Beedrill back down to the ground. Beedrill crashed into the floor, and Makuhita landed on top of the large bee, delivering a few more swift blows to him.

"Beedrill, counter with Poison Sting!"

"Makuhita, Vital Throw!

Beedrill had no trouble stinging Makuhita, being so close to him. However, right after his attack, Makuhita latched onto Beedrill, picking him up over his head and slamming him right back into the ground with a force so powerful I was afraid he'd end up killing Beedrill. I screamed out in protest, but Beedrill was still alive, even conscious. Makuhita took a few steps back, allowing me a chance to recall Beedrill.

"You underestimate my Pokemon! Flying types won't guarantee you a victory!" Brawly's banter gave me an idea for my next choice. I snapped Beedrill's Pokeball back onto my belt, and released Smeargle, my newest critter.

"This should be a piece of cake! Makuhita, Vital Throw!"

"Smeargle, Sketch that move!"

This was Smeargle's signature ability; to mimic the abilities of his opponents, even remember them permanently. As Makuhita rushed in for the attack, Smeargle's eyes sparkled for a moment, like a painter who was just struck by inspiration. His tail's paintbrush like tip started shifting colors, making it look like a prism. Smeargle took his tail in his hand, swashing magical paint all around him. Makuhita got close, and the paint stopped him in his tracks, lifting him into the air and slamming him into the ground.

"Nice move, but you won't win by using fighting type moves against a fighting type Pokemon!"

Brawly was right, of course. Despite Smeargle's extremely flexible ability, he was still not going to win this fight without some help. Before Makuhita could recover, I called Smeargle back to my side of the arena, replacing him with Vulpix. I whispered something into Smeargle's ear, then turned my attention to Vulpix.

"Vulpix, use Flamethrower!"

"Makuhita, Arm Thrust!"

Vulpix blasted Makuhita with the spray of intense flames, keeping the yellow Pokemon at bay. Once her attack was complete, I yelled for Vulpix to return to my side, and again sent out Smeargle. Since Makuhita was having trouble recovering fast enough from the attacks, Brawly couldn't beat me to the command punch.

"Smeargle, Sketch her move!"

"Makuhita, get in quick for Close Combat!"

Enraged now, Makuhita charged at full speed. Smeargle's eyes flashed again, and the small dog Pokemon quickly painted a small ball of flame before him. As Makuhita got close, it erupted into a full blown flamethrower attack, pushing Makuhita back again. He was looking really beat down now, so I went in for the finishing touch.

"Smeargle, one last Sketch!"

Another sparkle of the eyes and swash of the brush, and Smeargle replicated Makuhita's Close Comabt. A flurry of punches bombarded the Pokemon, forcing it further back, and right into the remaining barbs from Beedrill's Toxic Spikes attack. Poisoned and beaten, Makuhita did the honorable thing: he raised his hands in defeat.

~o~

Once we were back outside, Brawly produced a badge for me. The SS Aqua's repairs were well underway, and it looked like we would be leaving in a couple hours. Before he handed me the badge, Brawly had one final thing to ask me.

"I didn't catch your name, kid."

"I'm Star," I replied, holding my hand out to receive my badge. Brawly held onto it for a moment.

"See, I never got a look at your trainer card. Why not show it to me now, so I can pin this nice little Knucklebadge right on there?" My heart skipped a beat when he said that.

"Oh! You see, it's in my bag, and I'd have to pull it out and that would be too much work and I really should be getting back onto the ship-"

"You don't have a trainer card from the region, do you, Star?" My head hung in shame, caught in my own lie.

"I'm sorry, it's just that I really wanted to take advantage of our being here for this battle. I still need to get my card, but I'm not sure where I need to go for that."

"Well, you earned this badge fair enough, card or no. To remedy your dilemma, give a ring to Professor Birch in Littleroot Town. He'll hook you up with a card over the phone; let him know I sent you his way." Brawly handed me the Kuncklebadge, proof of my first victory in the Hoenn region.

"Thanks, I'll call him soon as I get to Slateport City. And thanks, for being cool about the trainer card and battling."

"Just remember kid- I mean, Star: battles should always take a backseat to helping others. Don't be so selfish next time, okay? Be cool."

Brawly accompanied me back to the SS Aqua, clearing up the matter of my unauthorized disembarking with the captain. Once belowdecks again, I ran into Yunie in the hallway. She looked beyond troubled.

"Star! Where've you been? I've been looking all over the ship for you!"

"Relax, Yunie! I'm fine, I just had something to do in town, is all."

Before she could start the barrage of questions on how I snuck off the ship and getting in trouble, I promised her I'd share everything once I had something to eat. After all, I hadn't eaten anything since waking up early that morning. I was starved!


	46. The Port of Crossroads

The Port of Crossroads, Chapter 46

Dawn was just breaking as the SS Aqua pulled into Slateport City the next morning. The ship's horn resounded throughout the city, much like a wake up call to the residents. Most of the passengers, Yunie and myself included, were up on the main deck, watching as the ship pulled into the harbor. Around and underneath the pier was a great beach, mostly empty at this time of day, but no doubt packed once kids were up and about. People started to gather on the pier, preparing for the ship's docking.

On board, most of the passengers returned belowdecks to gather their belongings. Both of us already had all our stuff up on deck, and we were ready to leave once the ramp was extended.

"There's so much to do here, you know," Yunie told me, pointing out a few of the buildings in the city. "There's the Oceanic Museum, the Pokemon Fan Club branch, the marketplace..."

"Okay, now I have to ask," I said, cutting her , "How do you know all this? Have you been here before?"

"No, I just read the brochure. Didn't you?" Yunie showed me the pamphlet, which pretty much listed everything she just said in the same order. I handed it back to her, shyly looking away to conceal my blush. Maybe she seemed to know everything else because she bothered to read the signs around her? I should probably make a habit of that, myself.

"So, where you going first, Star?"

"Don't know," I told her, looking out into the city. "Why don't you pick for us? Pretty sure you already have something planned, right?"

"Actually, this is where we go our separate ways." My ears perked up, and I looked back at Yunie.

"What? You serious?"

"Yeah. We weren't going to be together forever, you know. I have to get moving right away, need to get to Lilycove City for a job." Not that I wanted to see Yunie leave, but at the same time, I couldn't help but feel overjoyed. She was a fun travel buddy, but I couldn't ignore what I ended up deciding way back in Fuchsia City. A Pokemon adventure was a solo affair.

"Oh, that's a shame." I said, trying not to sound too excited at the prospect of solo travel again.

"Don't you worry, Star! I'm sure we'll meet up again somewhere on the road! After my job in Lilycove, I'm pretty much free to go where I want!" Silver lining, or inevitable doom? I decided not to think on the grim side, for Yunie's sake.

"Well, be careful out there! Wild Pokemon can be pretty nasty sometimes, wouldn't want you to get hurt."

"Aww, thanks, Star! I didn't know you cared about me so much!" I instantly turned beet red, and looked away from Yunie as she hugged me. "And to think: I thought you always hated me behind my back!"

"What? No way!" I felt a drop of sweat form on my forehead. Sometimes, she seemed to know things she couldn't possibly know, and that scared me.

The ramp was extended, and the captain was on deck. After discussing something with men from the docks, he signaled the okay for the passengers to be disembarking. We shuffled into the crowd, Vulpix in my arms so we wouldn't get separated amongst the hustle and bustle. A few men on the pier escorted everyone into the city proper before letting us go our own way. There was a patch of green grass just to my right. I slipped off one of my sandals, and felt the grass underneath my foot. I was finally back on dry land.

"Guess this is goodbye, Star," Yunie said. I looked at her, feeling my heart growing heavy and my eyes well up. I didn't want to see her go, after all.

"Like you said, we'll meet again on the road! Be careful, Yunie." I gave her one final hug, and then stood in place as she became lost in the crowd of people heading into the city.

Again, I was all alone on my journey. This was the way it had to be, of course, so I wasn't entirely sad. Hoenn was a new world waiting to be explored, and I eyed the first part in need of exploring. I turned left from the pier, spotting an outdoor marketplace just inside the city limit.

~o~

"Pokemon vitamins for sale! Get your critters into shape with these vitamins, young lady! Only ¥9800!"

I shook my head politely, not wanting to offend the third shopkeeper that tried to sell me something. Simply walking down the street in this market was enough to be the target of dozens of vendors, all trying their best to make some money. As I was trying to avoid the barrage of sales offers from the vendors, Vulpix was clearly having all sorts of fun, running around the street and taking in all the sights.

Continuing down the street, one of the stalls caught my eye. The woman was selling nothing but Pokemon dolls, which as you know is a bit of a hobby of mine. My bag was already packed in with the Jigglypuff doll I bought at the convention in Olivine City, so I tried to resist buying another. That is, until the lady started making suggestions and offers.

"Looking for decorations for your base, dear? I'll gladly give you a discount if you want to buy a doll today!"

"Base? What's that?" I tried my best to ignore the discount comment, finding myself more tempted than ever.

"Oh, you're not from Hoenn, then?" That knowledge seemed to light up her eyes all the more.

"No, ma'am. I just came from Johto on the SS Aqua." I continued to window shop as we talked, inching ever closer to buying another doll.

"Well, let me explain then: here in Hoenn, the kids have this hobby while they're out on the road. They call them 'Secret Bases'; simply put, they're like tree-houses they make on the routes."

"You mean they build places to live by themselves?"

"Not quite. See, the Hoenn routes are quite packed with little nooks and crannies, all begging to be taken by someone and turned into a little shelter of sorts. All you need to do is keep an eye out for them! They could be in hollowed out trees, or caves. As such, another hobby is to decorate their bases with all sorts of little trinkets."

"And dolls are just one of those many trinkets?"

"They certainly add an adorable charm, don't they? Girls are always buying dolls for their rooms, but that certainly doesn't mean boys don't!" That may have sounded unrelated, but her explanation of these secret bases pushed me further into buying a doll. It wouldn't just be another useless toy to lug around, but a piece of furniture for my own secret base!

"Then I'll buy one! Are these the only dolls you have on sale?" She had a decent selection, including plenty of Azurill and Marill dolls. However, I wanted something different.

"Well, I have a couple other kinds back here somewhere. Have a Pokemon in mind?"

"Not exactly, but I would love something cute!" This meant a Vulpix doll, of course, but she didn't have one. Instead, she produced a small bird Pokemon doll.

"How about this one? It's a Torchic doll! Isn't it adorable?" Indeed it was! I felt like I could hug it to death on the spot, if it were alive.

"It's so cute! How much?"

"¥3000 normally, but I'll give it to you for ¥2000!" It was a steep price still, but I couldn't very well say no after such a markdown. Maybe I was a poor buyer or haggler, but in my eyes, the price was worth it. That doll was mine!

"Thank you, dear! I hope you visit again in the future!"

~o~

The beach was now filled with people. Most of them were familiar faces from the SS Aqua, and all of them looked like they were having the greatest time of their lives. I looked down at Vulpix, who tilted her head at me, as if to ask what I was waiting for to get down there.

"You're right! There's no hurry, so let's go and relax on the beach! Come on!"

Before running down there, I had to make a stop by the Pokemon Center, of course. I left my bag and Pokemon in the care of the resident Nurse Joy, which no longer surprised me. They seemed to exist all over the Pokemon world, so maybe they were a super special kind of Pokemon themselves?

Once I was in my bathing suit, I wrapped myself up in a towel and ran out to the beach, Vulpix leading the way. Another kid enjoying one of the last warm days of the year didn't draw much attention, and soon enough I was right at home in the sand. I splashed around in the shallow water for a while, relaxing in the sun while Vulpix stood watch by my towel. If the afternoon would only remain this tranquil, though.

I heard Vulpix barking after a little while. I looked over to her, spotting two little kids standing in front of her. She continued to bark them, but not in a hostile manner. I sighed, and got out of the water. I walked over to my Pokemon, catching the attention of the kids.

"Hello! Is this your Pokemon?" The little girl asked. She must've been four or five years old, wearing a tube around her waist so she could safely play in the ocean.

"Yeah," I said, picking up my towel to dry myself off a bit. Vulpix didn't look angry at the kids, just a bit concerned. "I'm Star, is something wrong?"

"No," said the boy, who was also wearing a tube, "we just wanted to see your Pokemon. She's so cute!"

"Actually, we did want something: a Pokemon battle!" The little girl raised her arm into the air. The challenge took me by surprise, to say the least. The little boy produced a Pokeball from his bathing shorts, and the girl also suddenly carried one in her hands. Before I could ask where they got them from, they released their critters.

The girl had a Marill, while the boy had a Pokemon I didn't recognize. It was small, with a few shades of brown fur, all spiked out as if it could poke you. Vulpix stood before the two critters, growling at them and ready to battle.

"Okay, which of you two kids will I fight first?"

"Both of us!" They screamed in unison. I shook my head.

"That's against the rules! It's only one on one, isn't it?" Before the kids could answer, my mind wandered back to Brawly. He did say the League rules in Hoenn were different, so two-on-one could be allowed, I guessed. It wouldn't have been my first battle of the like, but certainly the first time it was an official battle.

"Nope! We're battling as a team, so you can battle with a friend, or use two of your own Pokemon! My name is Ricky, I forgot to introduce myself."

"And I'm Hailey! So, let's begin!"

Before I could introduce myself to them, they put some distance between us. The battle was pretty much on, so the chance of running back to the center to collect my other Pokemon was out of the question. It would be up to Vulpix alone to beat both their critters. With seventeen badges under my belt, I was hoping even two against one wouldn't be a problem.

"Zigzagoon, Tackle!" Ricky called out.

"Marill, Bubble!" Hailey shouted.

"Vulpix, Quick Attack!"

Vulpix vanished from sight, evading Zigzagoon's attack easily. She reappeared behind him, slamming him into the sand. However, Vulpix was struck by Marill's Bubble attack from behind, which only made the effective attack considerably more powerful.

"Vulpix, Tackle Marill!"

"Zigzagoon, Headbutt!"

"Marill, Tail Whip!"

Marill managed to wag its tail just in time, causing Vulpix to lose her focus just before she rammed into Marill. Zigzagoon then crashed into Vulpix from behind, burying her deep into the sand because of her lowered defenses. Alone, they wouldn't be a problem, but Vulpix just wasn't fast enough to evade both attacks, especially fighting on the uneven sand. She was already starting to look sluggish, so I needed to turn the tables on them.

"Vulpix, Confuse Ray on Marill!"

"Marill, Water Gun!"

"Zigzagoon, Sand-Attack!"

Vulpix's eyes locked with Marill's, and the blue Pokemon instantly became disoriented. However, because Vulpix was concentrated on her attack, Zigzagoon's attack landed dead on, and she was blinded almost completely. Marill tried to aim her attack, but couldn't quite lock onto Vulpix, missing her completely.

"Zigzagoon, Headbutt!"

"Marill, try Water Gun again!"

With Vulpix blinded, I couldn't order anything that would make much of a difference. Zigzagoon rushed in to slam Vulpix again, when it occurred to me.

"Vulpix, defend yourself!"

Vulpix dug into the sand, covering her head and eyes with her paws. Zigzagoon tackled her hard head first, but Vulpix was hardly fazed by the blow. At that same time, Marill tried to aim her attack again, but because both critters were so close to each other, the Water Gun struck Zigzagoon instead of Vulpix.

"Vulpix, try and Quick Attack Marill!"

Vulpix rose her head, rubbing as much of the sand out of her eyes as she could before she vanished. Marill was standing firm, trying to snap out of the confusion, when Vulpix reappeared just beside her. The attack didn't connect entirely, but Marill was knocked around enough to land in the sand. Now she was blinded as well as confused.

"Zigzagoon, finish this with one more Headbutt!"

"Marill, don't do anything yet!"

The small brown Pokemon shook off the previous water attack, and charged towards Vulpix. She still didn't have her sight back entirely, so I went with the table-turner strategy again.

"Vulpix, run to the left!"

Her vision still blurry, she noticed the blue Pokemon nearby, and ran behind it. Zigzagoon turned slightly to match up with Vulpix, but slammed into Marill instead, knocking her into the air and back into the sand. She was out of commission now, and so was Zigzagoon!

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

Vulpix forced her vision, spotting the brown mass of fur ahead of her. She opened her mouth, and blasted the Pokemon with a spray of fire. After the flames died down, Zigzagoon cried out in pain, and fell over. The battle was mine!

"Aww, man!" Ricky cried out, returning his Zigzagoon to its Pokeball. Hailey did the same for her Marill, then the two kids ran up to me. Vulpix slowly walked back to my side as well, tired from the intense battle.

"Wow, you're really good! Are you on a Pokemon adventure?" Hailey asked, her eyes wide with admiration despite losing just now.

"I am, actually. I was just relaxing here when you guys wanted a Pokemon battle. Now, I have to cut my time here at the beach short, because Vulpix is tired from fighting." I didn't mean for that to sound like a scolding, but that's what the two kids took it as.

"I'm sorry," said Ricky, looking down at his feet instead of me directly. "We just wanted to have some fun."

"I'm sorry, too. We didn't mean to pick on you."

"Hey, don't feel so bad, you two," I told them, giving each a pat on the shoulder. "You make it sound like you're a couple of bullies and I'm the little kid here. Cheer up, okay?"

"Oh! Almost forgot, rules are rules. Here, this is from us to you!" Ricky reached into his shorts pocket to produce a small plastic card. It was a pass for the Oceanic Museum in the city, good for one visit.

"Thanks, but it's okay. It was just for fun-"

"Nope! Rules are rules! We lost, you won, you get the ticket! Right, Ricky?" Hailey said, the sudden mood swing throwing me off.

"Right! See you later, Star! Bye!"

And just like that, the two kids ran off back towards the water. I smiled at them, finding their short attention span a bit funny. I watched as they got back into the ocean, splashing around and having a fun time, just like normal kids. Vulpix asked me to carry her, so I picked her up in my arms, where she curled up and tried to rest. I looked out towards the ocean and the kids again, remembering a time when I was that small and carefree.

~o~

The next morning, after a delicious breakfast at a local diner in the city, Vulpix and I made for the Oceanic Museum on the other side of the city. If I hadn't battled with Hailey and Ricky the day before on the beach, I'd have moved on from Slateport, since there was no gym to challenge here. According to a map of the Hoenn region at the Pokemon Center, the region contained sixteen cities and towns throughout the island, much more than Johto or Kanto separately. I'd probably be out exploring the region for a few months, at least.

For a museum, the Oceanic one didn't seem to have very many guests that morning. Afraid it'd be closed for some reason, I ran to the front door, but the sign said it was open. However, as I peered through the windows, I didn't see anyone in the lobby or minding the entrance.

"Something's wrong, Vulpix," I told my foxy companion. "Should we go inside, or call the police?"

Vulpix barked, then scratched at the door. That meant she wanted to go inside and check it out for herself. Against my better judgement, I opened the door and let her in first, telling her to remain as quiet as possible until we knew what was going on inside. Beyond the lobby, there were some stairs leading up to the second floor. I stood in front of them, trying to hear if there was anyone up there. I heard voices, but couldn't make out what they were saying. Vulpix's ears perked up, and she spun around, barking loudly at something behind me.

"Vulpix! Be quiet!" I turned around, spotting a woman in a blue outfit. She had a Pokeball in her hand, while her blue outfit, resembling a sailor's uniform, was marked with a skull and crossbones.

"What are you doing here? Surrender now, or prepare to be taken by force!" She released her Pokemon, a large blue and red fish sporting a mean face. Despite it being a fish, it seemed to float effortlessly in the air. I backed away from the stairs, and Vulpix stood in front of me, ready to battle the advantageous Pokemon. I scanned it before the battle began.

"Carvanha, the Savage Pokemon. Carvanha's strongly developed jaws and its sharply pointed fangs pack the destructive power to rip out boat hulls. Many boats have been attacked and sunk by this Pokemon."

"What are you doing?" Another person ran down the stairs, this one in a red outfit, but completely different from the sailor style uniform the woman had.

"An intruder! I was about to take care of her!"

"Delay that! We've been compromised, so fall back! We have to get out of here before the media and police arrive!"

I remained glued to my spot, watching as the man in red dove through a window to escape, and the woman ran upstairs, ignoring me completely. Confused, I ran after the woman upstairs, a Pokeball in my hand to aid me should there be more people up here. There were two other people in blue sailor outfits, but they were already on their way out of windows as I got on the floor. The woman who was about to battle me huffed in my direction, then followed her similarly dressed companions out the window.

I ignored the people tied up on the floor for a second, and ran to the window. It was a two story fall into the ocean, yet they didn't even hesitate to leap to their potential doom. But they survived the fall, and were riding off to the north, on top of water Pokemon. Once they were out of sight, I turned my attention back to the hostages. I started with a young man, untying his hands and removing the gag over his mouth.

"Are you alright, sir?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you, young lady, for helping us!" Once freed, the man started releasing the others alongside me. Vulpix stood by the stairs, keeping watch in case any more trouble was on its way.

"Who were those people? Why did they tie everyone up here?"

"I'm not sure," said the young man. "They stormed in here early this morning, demanding a bunch of files and artifacts. I didn't know what they were talking about."

"That's strange," I said, thinking about the people. They were dressed strangely, and yet it all seemed familiar. "Could they have been part of Team Rocket?"

"Actually," came another voice, this one from the stairs, where Vulpix was barking at the newcomer. I told her to come back to my side, allowing the man to continue talking. "They were members of Team Magma, and Team Aqua."

"Captain Stern! Thank goodness you weren't here!" The young man ran over to the gentleman, shaking his hand. I released the last of the receptionists before going up to this Captain Stern myself.

"Teams Magma and Aqua? Who are they?"

"In short, they are extensions of Team Rocket, the criminal organization from the Kanto region. However, with Rocket officially disbanded, as far as the world knows, they've become separate entities, and donned new names."

"Captain," cut in the young man, "they were looking for some files and artifacts. I didn't tell them anything, because I didn't even know what they were looking for."

"Quite alright, I have the files they were seeking right here with me! It's a good thing the delivery boy was late today."

"So, what are these files? Why would they hold hostages to get them?" I was curious, and despite not wanting to get involved in yet another Rocket related matter, I was finding it hard to turn a blind eye to all this.

"Information regarding a Pokemon, and I'd rather not say anything beyond that. Young lady, you've done everyone here a great service in disrupting their operation, and for that, I offer you my deepest gratitude."

All the gratitude in the world didn't satisfy my curiosity, though there was little I could do about it. Once outside, the police and the media were all over the lawn of the museum, just as the criminals feared. Captain Stern made an announcement to the reporters, informing them all of what happened in the building, and my own heroic intervention. Not that I did anything in particular. Once most of the reporters had dispersed, content with their stories, one woman and her cameraman approached me.

"Excuse me, are you Star, of the Johto region?"

"Actually, I'm from Kanto. But how did you know that?"

"My name is Gabby, and I'm a reporter with the Hoenn National News. Tell me, just who were the people who took the employees of the museum hostage?" She held the microphone to my lips, though I was scared to say anything. Captain Stern had gone out of his way to keep details of the two Teams' dealings from the media, so I wasn't sure I could go blabbing about it all on a whim.

"I- I don't know. I only scared them away when I went inside the building."

"Are you sure, dear?" Again, the microphone to my lips so I could answer and be heard perfectly.

"Yes, I am. Now, how did you know my name?" Gabby lowered the microphone, and signaled to her cameraman to stop rolling.

"I heard from Darrin, at Dewford Hall. He told me about a spunky new trainer from abroad, so I followed your trail here to Slateport, to get a word with you for a story. My luck to find you, and the story about the hostages here!"

"Gabby, we're running short on time," said the cameraman behind her.

"Right, thanks Ty. Listen Star, I have to go and get this story in ASAP. Have an idea where you're headed next?"

"Um, no. I'm just going where I want to...?" I wasn't sure why she wanted to know, either.

"Well, no worries: tracking down people is my specialty! I'll see you again soon! I want to finish this interview!"

Gabby snapped her fingers, and Ty the cameraman started after her. Once the two were gone, I felt someone standing behind me. It was Captain Stern.

"Reporters," he scoffed, before turning to me. "Star, I know I can't force you, but try not to say anything about what happened here. Last thing Hoenn needs is a nationwide panic, like in Johto when Team Rocket took control of the Radio Tower."

"Okay, I understand." I nodded.

Stern went back inside the museum, still having to tend to the police. The day was already off to a memorable start, so I figured why not keep it going? Mimicking Gabby, I snapped my fingers, which caught Vulpix's attention and put her on point.

"Come on, Vulpix! Let's get moving!"


	47. The Fabulous Trick Master

The Fabulous Trick Master, Chapter 47

I was heading north on Hoenn Route 110, and much like when I first started exploring Johto, I was a witness to the wonders of the Pokemon world. Critters both new and familiar took flight before me, going about their lives while I hiked forward. Vulpix chased a couple of them down, barking all the while to clear a safe path for me. Just a short ways down the road, it spit in two directions, though both still went to the north. At the fork there was a man on a bicycle, taking a breather after what looked like an arduous workout.

"Excuse me," I asked him, "Is there a difference between these two roads?"

"They both head towards Mauville, though this here's the Seaside Cycling Road. Can't use it without a bike."

"Oh, I see. Thanks for the help!"

I immediately went to assemble my bike, when I looked down at Vulpix. She was barking at some of the wild Pokemon on the other route, looking back at me as if to ask if we were going that way. Though the cycling route would've been much easier and possibly more scenic, I went against it. There were all sorts of new Pokemon to meet in Hoenn, so I couldn't go avoiding them every chance I got. Plus, what would Professor Oak say about me not completing that Pokedex?

"Come on girl, let's get in there and catch ourselves a new friend!"

Without concern or fear of the Pokemon within the tall grass, I ran head first into it. The Pokemon scattered, startled at my sudden intrusion in their space. A couple of them, however, stood their ground, growling at me and prepping for battle. Vulpix took the front, while I produced my Pokedex to scan the two critters.

"Poochyena, the Bite Pokemon. It has a very tenacious nature. Its acute sense of smell lets it chase a chosen prey without ever losing track." I closed the device and held it close. The other Pokemon was an Oddish, a critter common in Kanto and one I was pretty familiar with. Vulpix awaited my command, and instead got herself a partner to help her out: Ariados.

"Vulpix, rain down Embers! Ariados, String Shot on Poochyena!"

Ariados stepped forward, blasting Poochyena with a mass of silk as Vulpix used his back for greater reach with her own attack. The small flames covered a great part of the road, with a few bushes catching fire, but not enough to cause concern. The route was close to the sea, so there was enough moisture to douse the flames. Oddish took the brunt of the attack, while Poochyena clawed and bit through Ariados's strings.

"Vulpix, Quick Attack Oddish! Ariados, be careful!"

Vulpix vanished from Ariados's back, while the large bug braced itself for Poochyena's incoming blow. As Oddish recovered from the burns, Vulpix slammed into the small purple critter, sending it reeling back into tall grass. Ariados was hold his own against Poochyena's scratches and bites.

"Vulpix, Tackle him!"

The small fox crashed into Poochyena, granting Ariados a bit of reprieve. Before I could order the final blow on the Pokemon, a third wild critter joined the fray. A white bird flew in from the sea, raining down water on the field. Unfamiliar with this critter, I pulled out the Pokedex to scan it quickly.

"Wingull, the Seagull Pokemon. It soars high in the sky, riding on updrafts like a glider. It carries food tucked in its bill."

"Vulpix, Quick Attack Poochyena! Ariados, String Shot that bird!"

Vulpix slammed into Poochyena again, keeping the angry dog Pokemon on the ground. Meanwhile, Ariados aimed its mouth towards the Wingull in the air, blasting it with a spray of silk. The bird tried to evade the attack, but its wings were tangled up in the string, causing it to come crashing to the ground. I took advantage of the opportunity and prepared a Pokeball. The first to come out of my bag was a normal one, so I threw it at the Wingull, capturing the critter inside.

"Vulpix, Tackle that Poochyena one more time! Ariados, String Shot again!"

While they continued the assault on the much more resilient Poochyena, I turned my attention to the Pokeball with Wingull in it. It was still shaking, as the Pokemon tried desperately to break free. After a few moments, it stopped, confirming my successful capture. Back with my other Pokemon and the Poochyena, they had both succeeded in executing their commands. The black dog was trying to break free of its bonds, but the strings were too tight, and its energy was quickly draining from the battle.

I reached into my bag, and found the last of my Pokeballs: the Fast Ball Kurt made for me back in Azalea Town. Poochyena was trying desperately to free himself, which gave me the opportunity to throw the Pokeball at him. He was locked inside, and thus began the waiting game. Vulpix, Ariados, and myself all watched in anticipation as the Pokeball shook violently. It almost popped open a few times, but it eventually quieted down. Both Pokemon were now part of my team!

As were the rules of the League, I couldn't carry all my critters with me now. I had Yanma and Beedrill sent to the storage system, seeing as how Ariados was quickly proving himself a powerful ally, and I only needed one bug Pokemon on my team. With Wingull, I finally had a primary flyer, and with Poochyena, a tricky dark type. Once Ariados was back in his own Pokeball, I pushed onward with Vulpix in my arms, so she could rest up a bit.

I didn't want to excite anymore wild critters along this road, so I tried my best to wade through the grass as stealthily as possible.

~o~

"Trick House?" I read aloud, looking at the otherwise normal house sitting before me. I peered through a window, but couldn't see anything beyond the curtains blocking the view.

"What do you think this is, Vulpix?" I asked my red companion. She cocked her head to one side, like she usually did, and barked softly. That meant she was voting to go inside. After what happened earlier that day, I wasn't so sure about going into this strangely named house just like that.

I looked around for a moment, hoping to find someone nearby I could ask about this place. I looked at the sign again, and was a bit shocked to see additional words underneath the name of the house.

"'Three steps to your right, and two steps ahead to reach the wondrous Trick House'...?" Had that line always been on the sign? Before I could give it more thought, the door of the house creaked open, beckoning me to go in. Of course, since Vulpix voted to go inside, she ran in before me, much to my dismay.

"Vulpix, no! Get back here!" I ran in after her, only to have the door slam shut behind me. How typical.

The interior of the Trick House was, for all accounts and purposes, normal. It was modeled after the houses in Fuchsia City, with only a table and a few floor pillows in the center of the one room. The house was clearly much larger from the outside, so there had to be more to this place. The moment I took a step further into the room, I felt this chill run down my spine, as if someone were watching me. I shrugged it off, as I tried to find Vulpix to get out of this place. There had to be a trap door or fake wall, because she was no where to be seen.

I started feeling around the walls for any hidden switches to trick walls. After only a moment of searching, I felt a switch, and without thinking twice, pressed it. Expecting to hear some hidden door click open, I heard what sounded like gas seeping in from somewhere. Before I could react and back away, I took a huge breath of the stuff, and felt disoriented. My vision got all blurry, and I passed out on the floor.

~o~

When I came to, I was in a different room, though the design was certainly similar to the previous one. I got up from the floor, though I instantly noticed how much lighter I felt. My bag was gone, as were my Pokeballs. My mind instantly assumed the worst: I had suffered the loss of my Pokemon again. My heart began to race, and without thinking straight, I started running down the hallway. It forced me to make a right turn, then a left, then another left before turning right again. Here, I was given the choice to make either a right, left, or continue straight ahead. Panicking, I turned to the right, which took me down yet another hall to a left turn. I made the turn here, only to run head first into someone around the bend.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" Of course, being the smaller girl, I was knocked to the ground. It was just the push I needed to break out into tears completely.

"Oh, hey, don't cry! I didn't mean it!" She kneeled down in front of me, trying to comfort me. I let the tears flow, not even trying to contain them. My Pokemon were gone; I had failed as a trainer again.

"Come on, don't cry! I said I didn't mean it! Here, take this!" The girl offered me a lollipop, as if I was some baby to be comforted with candy. Her gesture was nice enough to finally get my impulse control into gear. It took me a moment, but I finally stopped the tears.

"I'm sorry," I started, wiping away some of the moisture on my face. "It wasn't you. I just, I can't believe I lost my Pokemon again."

"Cheer up, kid! It's nothing major-"

"Cheer up? My Pokemon were stolen!" I screamed back at her. The girl gave me a quick swat to the head, which made my eyes well up again. I fought back a couple sobs.

"Now I'm sorry. Listen, it's just the Trickmaster's game. Once we figure our way out of this giant puzzle box, we'll get our Pokemon back no problem! Now stop being such a crybaby and help me out, would ya?"

"Okay," I said meekly, while fighting back the tears. I guess I did fly off the handle there, but that smack really hurt!

"I'm Robin, what's your name?" She offered me a helping hand to get me back on my feet.

"Star."

"Alright, let's get moving. I just spent the last half hour running around that hallway, so let's get back to the intersection down this way and try another route."

Together, we walked back to the first intersection, and we each took a different route. Robin went straight ahead, while I hung a right. Now that we knew each other was there, it'd be easy to find our way through the house. However, my biggest question was why this 'Trickmaster' had a house like this in the first place? If he gave the Pokemon back to the trainers trapped within once they got out, why bother with it all?

My mind wandering, I ran face first into a wall when I lost focus. Before I could react accordingly, I fell right through the wall, and into a different room. This one was styled differently, so that meant I was headed in the right direction. I turned around to call for Robin, only to catch the wall door slamming shut behind me. I pushed against it, but it wouldn't budge. I sort of expected that as well.

"Robin! Can you hear me?" I screamed into the wall, hoping she could hear me. I pressed my ear against the wall, but there was nothing coming from the other side.

"Robin! Robin!" I pressed my ear against the wall again, but I couldn't hear a thing. Perhaps the walls were soundproof? Well, either way, I couldn't go back the way I came, so I pressed onward.

From here on, the floors were tiled, rather than traditional mat like the previous part of the house. I couldn't seem to wrap my brain around the Trickmaster's reasoning. Why go through all this trouble? What was the point of it all?

After walking down a few more hallways, I spotted something on the floor that I recognized: my bag! I ran down the hall to retrieve it, the thought of it being a trap not hitting me until it was too late. I scooped up my bag, only for the tile I was standing on to collapse beneath my feet. I let out a shriek as I fell, though the fall itself didn't last more than a couple seconds. I landed on something soft; a bed, to be precise.

It was dark in this particular room, so I started feeling my way around the bed, eventually getting off it and slowly reaching ahead for a wall or door or something. Once I felt the wall, I made my way around for a bit, until I felt a doorknob. I turned it and pushed, flooding the room I was in with light. On the other side, I was surprised to find myself right back where all this started!

"I'm afraid you lost, my dear." The voice came from a middle aged man, who was dressed in a hideously faded blue suit. His hair looked unkempt, as if he hadn't tended to it in weeks, if not longer.

"Lost? Who are you?"

"The owner of this house: the Trickmaster himself!" He stood up and pounded his chest for emphasis.

"There's another person trapped in there! How can she get out? And where're my Pokemon?" I was in no mood to play his games anymore. My attitude surprised the large man, especially considering I looked the way I did in my adorable yellow dress.

"Right here," he said, snapping his fingers. A portion of the wall flipped open, revealing Vulpix and my belt with the rest of my critters. She barked once she saw me, and ran into my arms. I admit, I got a little weepy when we hugged; the fear of having lost her and the rest of my friends earlier still a strong memory.

"I take it you didn't like my Trick House challenge?"

"No!" I screamed at him. "How can you put someone to sleep, take their Pokemon, and expect them to solve some riddle to get them back? That should be a crime!"

"I didn't mean any harm, I was just testing something new out! The other girl, Robin, volunteered to give the Trick House a run. But when you showed up, well, I thought I could see how a normal trainer would react when forced into the house."

"Well, now you know!" I snapped my belt on, and carried Vulpix in my arms. "Thank you."

"Thanks? For what?" He asked, puzzled.

"For returning my friends. I- I don't know what I would've done if they had been taken from me."

~o~

I didn't stray far from the Trick House at first, hoping to say farewell to Robin before I went on my way. After an hour or so, she walked out of the house, a belt with a couple Pokeballs strapped to her waist.

"Robin! Over here!" I called out to her.

"Star, glad you see you again," she said, walking up to me. "I heard what happened from the Trickmaster. Seemed you got to him with what you said."

"I didn't mean to hurt his feelings, it's just that I know what it's like to lose your Pokemon. I didn't want anyone else going through that like I did."

"He said because of you, he'll be closing down the house for a while, until he finds a friendlier way of engaging trainers. Between you and me: he could lose the tacky suit."

I giggled at Robin's remark. Now that we were outside, the threat of a challenge was present, but I wasn't going to engage her. I was tuckered out from the day's ordeal, and I just wanted to get to the nearest Pokemon Center and call it a night.

"Robin, where's the closest city from here?"

"Mauville, maybe. It's still several hours to the north, bit less if you have a bike and take the cycling road. Or, you can head south to Slateport City. Shouldn't be more than a couple hours on foot." I nodded, then turned to the left. There was another route leading from the Trick House.

"Where does this road lead?"

"A dead end," Robin said bluntly. "That's Route 103, which leads to Oldale Town. Problem is there's a river in the middle of the route, so you'd have to swim across or pay for a ferry. You're much better off taking the long way around past Mauville and Verdanturf."

"Oldale... that's near Littleroot, right?"

"Yeah, it sits between Littleroot and Petalburg City. Have some business in that tiny little town?"

"As a matter of fact, I think I do," I told her, recalling Brawly's words. Though he said the Professor could get me a Trainer card over the phone, I figured there was no harm in paying him a visit personally. Plus, one of those towns probably had a gym, so two birds and all that.

"Well, I'd be careful if I were you," Robin warned. "The river on Route 103 is swarming with some pretty nasty Pokemon. You may want to camp out until morning before you tried to cross it, ferry or no."

Taking Robin's advice to heart, I bid the friendly, if prickly, trainer adieu. I hadn't camped out under the stars in some time, so it would be a great way to settle back into my routine as a trainer. With Vulpix at my side, as always, and a slew of new friends, my journeys in Hoenn had only just begun.


	48. In Someone Else's Shoes

In Someone Else's Shoes, Chapter 48

The stars twinkled in the night sky above. I was lying on my back, Vulpix curled up next to me. Pokemon like her didn't understand the appeal people had with looking up at the stars. I could spend hours on end staring at them, wondering what the night sky hid in the darkness.

"You think Mom and Deneb are doing okay?" I asked my fuzzy companion. Her ears perked up before she looked at me, but didn't answer the question.

"Mom's probably worried," I answered myself. "I didn't call her once we arrived at Slateport. She's probably pacing around the kitchen, waiting for that phone to ring."

Vulpix barked once, agreeing with my guess.

"How about Deneb? You think he misses me?" Again, she barked once, but I shook my finger at Vulpix.

"Ah, but you didn't see him the last time I did. That was when I borrowed Amy and teleported to the Indigo Plateau. You didn't hear what we talked about then!" I said slyly, which seemed to confuse Vulpix. I almost forgot there for a moment I was talking to a Pokemon.

"Vulpix," I whispered, barely audible, "do you think... he likes me? The same way I like him?"

I turned to her, but her attention wasn't focused on what I was asking. She was looking towards Route 110, her ears twitching left and right as she tried to pinpoint something or someone. I didn't move, not wanting to alert whatever it was. I tried to spot whatever it was in the darkness, but I couldn't see a thing beyond the campfire. Then, I heard some rustling in the bushes nearby.

Vulpix growled towards the bushes, standing between them and me. I got up and grabbed my bag, ready to fight or flee, depending on whatever emerged from them. The bushes rustled a bit more, before a very familiar Pokemon poked her head out.

"Starly?" The odds of it being Yunie's Pokemon were tiny, but she had gone north before me. There was a chance this was her Pokemon.

The little yellow critter smiled and ran towards me, forgetting the item it was dragging along. I hugged her close, while Vulpix went to retrieve the item. It turned out to be Yunie's backpack!

"Starly, what happened to Yunie? Is she alright?" The little Pokemon shook her head, squeaking in its voice to try and tell me what had happened. Of course, I don't speak Pokemon, so I couldn't tell what she was trying to say. I grabbed Yunie's backpack and started looking through it, hoping to find some sort of clue.

Strangest thing was, her backpack didn't look to be out of order or anything! Everything inside it looked pretty much like it did the last time I saw it, including her camera supplies. The backpack itself didn't look damaged, other than the drag marks caused by Starly. Just where did Yunie disappear to?

"Starly, you have to tell me: where is Yunie? Was she kidnapped? Is she hurt?" I held the Pokemon before me, but she just shook her head at every question.

"I don't get it. Do you understand what I'm asking?" Again, Starly just shook her head. This was going no where.

Vulpix finally came along to help, barking at Starly. The two Pokemon exchanged some dialogue while I eagerly awaited Vulpix's translation.

"Well? Did she say what happened to Yunie?" Vulpix barked twice, and shook her head as well. Had she just vanished off the face of the earth?

I sat back down next to fire, unsure what to do. I didn't want to just sit there and wait for morning to go looking for her, but at the same time, it looked as if Starly had been dragging that backpack along for some time. Who knows how long ago she was separated from Yunie.

"Tomorrow, when we get to Oldale Town, I'll tell someone about Yunie. They'll find her, I know they will." My promise seemed to comfort Starly, if only slightly. She sat down next to the fire, Vulpix curling up at her side.

I looked back up at the stars. They probably knew where Yunie was. If only they could tell me.

~o~

"Hey, are you okay?"

The owner of that voice was annoying beyond belief. He sounded like some high pitched imitation of a kid's voice, done by a grown man. Where was Star's soft, soothing voice when you needed it? I tried to stretch out my arms to pick myself up, but something felt weird. My arms were somehow lower than they should be. I opened my eyes, trying to see just who was talking. All I saw was a Charmander.

"Hey there, little guy. Where's your trainer?"

"Little guy? I'm bigger than you, you stupid girl!"

I couldn't believe what I had just heard and seen. I scrambled away from the talking Pokemon, only to roll over into a puddle behind me. The Charmander started to laugh at me, so I forced myself on my feet to teach him a lesson. It was then that I noticed: he was as big as me!

"How come you're so big?"

"I'm not that big, you're just small," he quipped back at me. I finally took a look at my own body. Put short: it wasn't my old body. I turned around and stared at my reflection in the puddle through the ripples. I was looking back at a Pokemon, not a person. I was a Chikorita!

"Wha-? What's going on here?" I backed away from the puddle this time, my sight becoming obstructed by the giant leaf on my head.

"Are you okay? You're acting weird."

"I'm a Pokemon! How should I be acting?" I yelled back at the Charmander. Rather than take offense, he just tilted his head, like I had asked why the grass is green, or the sky is blue.

"Maybe you should see the doctor in town. I don't think you're feeling too well."

"Yeah, the doctor! Take me to the doctor, I'm sure he'd know what's going on here!"

Well, that was my first mistake. This talking Charmander led me away from the clearing in the forest to a town. However, rather than find a bunch of people, I found a bunch of Pokemon running about like they were people. All of them talking, too! Suddenly I felt out of place, but in a Pokemon body, no one looked at me twice.

"Charmander, I don't need to see the doctor anymore," I told him. The thought of being examined by another Pokemon in some medical fashion was just a bit too weird to swallow.

"Are you sure? You were saying some strange things back in the forest."

"I was just- uh, groggy! Yeah, you woke me up, and I was still having a dream! I dreamt I was a human, see?" Unfortunately, he didn't.

"Human? What's that? I've never seen a Pokemon like that before."

"Forget about it. Um, is everyone here a Pokemon, then?"

"Of course, what else would they be?" Charmander was starting to look at me funny again, so I quickly put two and two together before I was sent off to the Pokemon equivalent of the loony bin.

"Sorry, I haven't introduced myself: I'm Yunie." I was about to offer a handshake, but caught myself before I raised any more suspicious flags. Still, Charmander looked at me like I was crazy again.

"'Yunie'? What kind of name is that?"

"It's my name," I said. "What's yours?"

"Charmander."

"Of course," I said, rolling my eyes. "So, Charmander, what do you do here?"

"Nothing important, really. I was wandering in the forest when I found you lying in the clearing. I thought you might be in trouble." I am in trouble, just not sure how to get out of it yet.

"Well, thanks, but I wasn't-"

Before I could finish my sentence, the ground started to shake. Most of the Pokemon in town started panicking and running around, crying for help. The quake didn't last more than a few seconds, however, so there was no real damage. Save for my pride, having fallen over with the quake's sudden strike.

"What was that?" I asked.

"Another earthquake. They've been happening more and more these days. Xatu says if something isn't done soon, we may not have a home anymore."

"So, why hasn't anyone done something? What needs to be done?" Maybe if I helped out, I could get out of this body and world. That's how it usually went down in games and movies.

"I don't know. We'd have to ask Xatu, and not just anyone can go ask. He doesn't like being bothered unless it's for a good reason." Translation: we needed to prove ourselves somehow first.

"Then let's give him a good reason! What does one do around here to get permission to talk to him?"

"Well, I'm not sure. The most important thing anyone can do around here is be part of a Rescue Team."

"Rescue Team? That mean what I think it does?"

"We help out other Pokemon in need. It's hard to join a team, though. They don't like newbies." I could almost stake a fortune on Charmander's answer to my next question.

"How about we make our own team?"

"Our own team? Are you sure that we can pull it off?" Well, I'd have lost my fortune there. I was expecting him to say it wasn't allowed for whatever reason.

"Sure! Unless there's some rules or something against us making a team, we're set! Once we're a team, we can take on a few jobs, gain some notoriety, and then we can see Xatu about that thing that needs to be done." And finally leave this Pokemon world. Charmander pondered the idea for all of a few seconds.

"You make it sound so easy. What shall we call our team, then?"

"Team Starly! We'll shine brightest in the night sky!" I screamed out, drawing attention from all other Pokemon in town. Charmander looked a bit embarrassed at my display, but he stood by me all the same.

"Team Starly, yay," he said in a soft voice, raising his arm in the air sheepishly.

"Yeah, you'll get into it. Now, what needs doing? Let's start building our notoriety!"

I marched into town, Charmander dragging behind. If I was stuck in this strange world, I might as well make the best of it! The real Starly was probably still waiting for me back in my world. Unless this was all some crazy dream.

~o~

"Thank you, sir," I told the captain of the ferry once I had disembarked. Contrary to Robin's warning, the trip across the river was peaceful, and the wild critters in the area surprisingly docile. Probably just trying to scare me or something. I got that a lot.

There was still a short way before Oldale Town, and now I had two Pokemon to look after, and a second bag to lug around. Since Starly was still Yunie's Pokemon, I guess it was okay for her to hang around me without costing me one of my own critters in the box. However, that didn't save my back from carrying Yunie's backpack. Even though I was carrying a bike in my bag, hers still managed to weigh more!

Once I got to Oldale Town, I was a bit disappointed to see that it was much smaller than I had anticipated. A handful of houses, a Pokemon Center, and a local office was pretty much the entire town. I walked over to the office, hoping it was also home to some kind of law enforcement, when I witnessed most of the townsfolk gathered around something on one side of town. Ever curious, I mingled into the crowd to see what was going on.

"Was that really made by a Pokemon, son?" Asked one of the townspeople. I forced my way through, seeing with my own eyes the object of their wonder. It was a footprint, a massive footprint with a strange design. Almost like a tribal marking or something.

"Yes, I believe so," said the young man with the thick glasses inspecting the footprint. "Looks to be the work of Groudon."

"Groudon?" I asked, eager to learn of this massive Pokemon.

"Yup, Groudon, the Continent Pokemon. Local legends state he is responsible for creating the land on which we live. Many trainers still try to catch him or his brother Pokemon Kyogre, but thus far no one has been successful. Show's over, folks! I must document this finding!"

The nerd pushed everyone away from the scene, much to their dismay. No doubt something like this didn't happen too often, let alone in such a small town. For some reason, I made a mental note of this Groudon for later. Somehow, I had a feeling it would become important somewhere down the road. Seems I was lucky enough these days to run into really rare Pokemon without even trying.

After that little event, I continued towards the office building at the north end of town. There, I learned that Oldale Town only had one resident officer, on loan from Petalburg City in the west. Because he was just one man, there wasn't much he could do on his end aside from looking after Starly until Yunie turned up. He did, however, give a call to the police in both Slateport and Mauville cities, informing them of Yunie's disappearance.

"I wouldn't worry too much about your friend," he told me, shortly after making the calls. "Trainers go missing all the time. For days, weeks at a time, they vanish, only to be seen again after being on the road for so long."

"Well, that's true..." Hadn't occurred to me until now that I was guilty of doing just that. Mom would've had the Pallet Town police on speed dial after a few days on the road.

"Look at it this way: if she had been abducted by someone, say Team Rocket, heavens forbid, they'd have whisked away her Pokemon. I tell you, she probably just went off on her own somewhere and was separated. I'm sure she'll turn up once the police start searching Route 110. In the meantime, feel free to go about your business. If anything happens, I'll let you know!"

I left my Pokegear phone number with the officer, despite the fact the device was still broken. Rustboro City was not far from Oldale, a few days at best, but I still had to pay a visit to the Professor in Littleroot. Since I had to pass through Oldale again on my way to Rustboro, I figured I'd just get updated on my way back through later.

After bidding farewell to Starly, who was heartbroken to be abandoned again, I set out for Littleroot Town in the south. The road wasn't long, and there was still plenty of time before the next sunset.

I prayed silently that Yunie was safe and sound.


	49. Big Sis Star

Big Sis Star, Chapter 49

Compared to Route 1, way back in Kanto, Route 101 was short. Terribly short; took me all of an hour to walk it towards Littleroot Town. Of course, this was better for me in the long run. So long as I didn't have to spend the night on the road again, I was content. There were various kinds of wild Pokemon on the road, some of which were familiar. What wasn't familiar, however, was someone on the side of the road. She was watching the wild Pokemon at a distance, entranced by their actions, yet never daring to get closer.

"Hi there!" I greeted, smiling at the older girl.

"Oh, hello. Are you a Pokemon trainer?"

"I am, actually. My name is Star, and this is Vulpix. What's yours?" Vulpix walked up to the girl, licking her hand in a show of greeting.

"I'm May."

"So, May, are you a Pokemon trainer as well?" Littleroot Town was just ahead, so she was probably from there.

"Not yet. I'll be turning ten in a few months, then I'll finally get a Pokemon from the Professor."

"Really? You look so much older than me!" Seriously, she really did! I was just a month or so away from eleven, and she looked years ahead of me. Body size, of course.

"I get that a lot, so they're all amazed when I tell them how old I am. Listen, I have to get back home."

"Littleroot Town?" She nodded. "Then mind if I tag along? I have to see the Professor in town."

"Sure thing. I'll take you to his lab."

~o~

Littleroot Town was little, as the name suggested. It kind of reminded me of Pallet Town, with most of the buildings being small houses meant for families. By that reasoning, May really didn't have to show me to the lab, as it was the largest building in town. Unfortunately, it was also locked up for the day, and Professor Birch was no where to be seen.

"Please don't tell me he left for some sort of conference or something."

"No, I don't think so," said May while peeking through the windows. "He was here earlier. Maybe he just quit early today?"

"Either way, now I have to wait until tomorrow to see him," I sighed. I had been hoping to get this whole trainer card ordeal over with today, so I could be off to an early start the next morning. Not like there was much to do in Littleroot Town, anyway.

"Want to stay over at my house tonight? There's no hotel you can stay at here, unless you want to camp outside." That was certainly out of the question.

"Thanks for the offer. You sure it'll be okay with your mom?" My own mom would've interrogated May if our roles were reversed. Anyway you looked at it, May would've been a complete stranger. And so was I to her.

"Oh yeah, no problem!"

Well, to skip ahead a bit, May's mom didn't have a problem at all. She asked me some questions first, of course, just to make sure I wasn't some juvenile delinquent out to corrupt her daughter. With every question following this line, I could tell May was getting more embarrassed than I probably should've been. Having spent so much time on my own adventure, though, and having experienced far worse than an interrogation by a concerned mother, I shrugged it all off quite easily. After all, her questions didn't compare to being caught by a Pokemon gang boss, being putty in the hands of a psychic master, and being at the mercy of Pokemon capable of tearing me limb from limb, or erasing me from time entirely.

"Well, I hope you have a pleasant stay here with May," she finally concluded, pointing out the staircase so I could depart. "And May, let her stay in your room. I don't want Max to start complaining that his room's a mess."

"I know, Mom. I wasn't going to put her there, anyway." After I was done being regarded as the latest piece of furniture, May led the way to her room at the top of the stairs and down the hall. Once inside her room, which was pretty plain, considering its owner, I took a seat on the bed.

"Is Max your older brother?"

"Little brother. He's a pain is what he is." May reached for a picture on her desk and showed it to me. The kid in the picture had glasses, and he looked happy next to his smiling sister. At first glance, I never would've guessed they'd be at each others' throats.

"Where is he now?"

"In Petalburg City, with my dad. We're sorta in the process of moving here, which is why my room is so boring. I wanted to stay in Petalburg, but Mom made me move."

"I see," I said, looking away for a moment. I guess after having spent your entire life in one place, you'd want to stay there. Then again, since I went off on my adventure, I had to wonder what the point in being sour about moving, when in the end you weren't home most of the time.

"Well, you'll be going on your Pokemon adventure soon, so it doesn't matter, does it?"

"Actually, I don't care about that," May said, taking a seat in her desk chair. "I'm just getting a Pokemon so I can go traveling. I have no interest in catching Pokemon or anything like that."

"Really? Well, that's your choice, but I think you should give it a shot."

"Trust me, Star, I know what I'm saying." May seemed adamant, but I pushed the subject a bit more.

"Maybe you'll change your mind when you get your Pokemon! I never thought about going on an adventure of my own, you know. When I was nine, Mom got me Vulpix, saying she did it because she didn't want me to leave when I turned ten. For a time, I didn't care about it, until my friend Deneb left on his own adventure. When I started out, it was all about following Deneb, but eventually I started liking my adventure for what it was."

"Nice story, Star, but trust me when I say I know what I want. Now, how about we get Mom to buy us something to eat?" Before I could even answer, May left the room, no doubt to avoid any further discussion regarding Pokemon.

I could tell she truly meant it, about wanting to use the Pokemon solely to get out on the road. However, there was something she was holding back, a fear of something, probably Pokemon itself. I noticed while I told my story, May didn't make direct eye contact, as if her secret would be brought into the light. Being a simple guest in her house, I wasn't about to start pushing the matter, but I didn't want to let it go, either.

May also said her brother Max was her younger sibling, meaning she was the eldest. Considering I was roughly a year older than her, a thought struck me on the spot. I looked down at Vulpix, who was busy etching the room into memory.

"What do you think, girl? Would I make a good big sister?" The fox licked my nose, which was all the convincing I needed. May walked back into the room a while later, though food was still not available from the look of things.

"Mom said she'll be back with something to eat. Want to play a game while we wait? I'm sure I have something we can both play here." It was only now that I noticed the video game console next to the TV.

"May, you're the eldest child, right?"

"Yeah, why'd you ask?" She continued to sift through her collection of video games, not giving it anymore thought.

"Ever wonder what it would be like to be the little sister?" May froze in place, turning her head towards me.

"What are you getting at, Star?"

"Vulpix and I think you need some guidance! You don't know what you want to do, and you're just scared! We'll help you find your true calling with Pokemon!" Vulpix barked afterwards, while May's shock became clearly visible on her face.

"And just what do you two have in mind?" I simply smiled.

"Probably won't need much, if you're already thinking of Vulpix as more than just a Pokemon."

~o~

After we had dinner, which was absolutely delicious and free, despite my offer to compensate with some of my own money, the two of us returned to May's room to begin the Big Sister Program. May, of course, wasn't exactly on board with it all.

"It's kind of hard taking advice from a girl who looks like she should be on the playground," she said, doing her best to ignore me and focus on the video game on her TV screen. It looked to be something out of a fantasy movie, with monsters and swords and stuff.

"Being the big sister doesn't mean I have to look the part, just know the part! Why don't you just tell me why you're so against becoming a Pokemon trainer!"

"I just don't wanna!" May screamed childishly back at me. I couldn't help but giggle a bit, especially once she realized how that came out.

"I meant, I don't want to, because- I just don't!" She huffed.

"Vulpix, Tackle her!" Upon hearing my command, May spun around to see me pointing at her. Vulpix wasn't actually going to attack her, she knew better than to actually hurt a person, unless it was Team Rocket or something. Still, May instantly ducked for cover once Vulpix eyed her as well, thinking the fox capable of doing it. That act alone pretty much solidified my initial assessment.

"What happened, May? Why are you afraid of Pokemon?"

I admit, I was surprised when May actually decided to share her story. She explained that when she was little, she was surrounded by a school of Tentacool, and cried out for her parents to save her. Both her parents were trainers, so they rushed to her aid, though not quite the way she expected. Because of her swimsuit colors, her parents mistook her at a distance for a Tentacool, and tried to catch her instead. The Tentacool became a bit hostile after that, but directed their anger towards her parents. Since then, she's been a bit scared of Pokemon in general, fearful that at any time they could overrun her.

"So you see," she said, capping off the tale, "I don't want to have anything to do with Pokemon! Unfortunately, it's the only way I'll be allowed to go traveling, so I have to get a Pokemon when I turn ten. I just don't want to have anything more to do with them!"

"I'm sorry, May," I said, truly apologetic for having been so insensitive. "I didn't know."

"Yeah, well, it's okay. I didn't mean to get so mad, either." There was a bit of silence in the room following that, neither of us wanting to break it. It was only after her mom called out for some desert that May chipped in one last thing.

"Thanks, Star."

"For what?"

"For being so nice. You're not a bad big sister, you know?"

I gave May a smile, my heart almost melting from the appreciation. You can bet your life savings I'd confront Mom once I got back home again. Why didn't I have a sister or brother of my own?

~o~

The next morning, I went to Professor Birch's lab on my own. May politely offered to accompany me, but she made it pretty clear she didn't want to go. Rather than force her along for the ride, I thanked her and her mom again for letting me stay the night. Just across town, I knocked on the door, hoping the professor was in already.

"Come in!" A voice called through the door. Taking the invitation, I turned the knob and went inside.

Like Professor Oak's and Elm's, this laboratory was hardly any different. A bunch of machines and an overall white color scheme dominated. However, unlike the other two, there were all sorts of maps plastered on one wall. Hoenn was the prominent map, but I also saw smaller ones of Kanto, Johto, and a couple other regions I didn't recognize, including one that looked like a giant desert. I didn't know there existed such a region, so I assumed it was just a close up of a desert in some other region.

"Can I help you, miss?" Professor Birch signaled for me to come closer to his desk while he arranged some paperwork. Unlike the older Professor Oak, or the much younger Elm, Birch was somewhere in between, probably in his late 30s or early 40s. His white lab coat was unusually dirty, as if he had been rolling around in dirt for a while. Vulpix stayed behind me the entire time, apprently not liking the Professor's appearance or something.

"Professor Birch?"

"That's me, unless you're here to serve me a subpoena, in which case I am not." The humor in the joke flew right over my head.

"Um, no. My name is Star, and I came to get a trainer card. Brawly of Dewford Island sent me." To get Birch started right away, I handed him my Johto card and the Knucklebadge, which he took in hand with a pleasant surprise.

"Wow, quite the accomplished trainer. Pulled a fast one on Brawly to win this badge, I take it?"

"N-Not exact- I mean, I didn't mean to! Since the SS Aqua had to stop in Dewford, I figured why not take advantage of the opportunity?" Birch just laughed a bit as he slid across to the side of the desk where his computer was.

"No need to explain opportunity to me, Star; in my line of work, it's the holy grail."

"What is your line of work?" I asked, just before adding, "I mean, I know you're a professor, but what part of Pokemon do you study?"

"Habitats. That's where Pokemon live and how they live naturally. Familiar with Elm's field, that you're asking?" Birch started punching in all sorts of information on the computer.

"I met with Professor Elm because of Professor Oak. They spent hours talking about Pokemon research with Mr Pokemon." A day filled with learning and boredom.

"Quite the learned little scholar! Not many trainers get the chance to discuss Pokemon with such a crowd, short of becoming a professor yourself. Almost done here, just another few seconds." Birch started typing even faster, as if trying to make some unknown deadline.

"There's no hurry, Professor. I know you're busy and all."

"No, actually I'm done and the hurry is necessary. See, my work is out there, not in here. Here I just push papers around; out there is where the real action is!"

Birch went silent for a moment as he punched in a few more keys. The computer started to whir a bit before it produced a brand new trainer card, the same picture of me featuring Vulpix in the foreground on the side and a whole new ID number beneath it. Birch also took the liberty of attaching the Knucklebadge onto the card for me before handing it over.

"All set! You're now registered in the Hoenn League. As I'm sure Brawly told you, you can get on any computer here and check out the rules and regulations. They are a bit different from Johto."

"Thank you, Professor. Is there anything else?"

"Actually..." He eyed me closely, putting his hand to his chin as he tried to remember something After a moment, he snapped his fingers. "I thought I recognized you! You're the trainer from that news report!"

"News report?" I thought back for a minute, remembering Gabby and Ty from outside the Oceanic Museum.

"Yeah, you were on there, talking about the incident at the museum. You're becoming quite the media sensation here, you know. If you want my advice: stay away from that Gabby. She doesn't know when to call it quits, and she'll probably hound you half way around the world until she gets the story she wants." Birch didn't need to offer that piece of advice. I didn't have anything against Gabby or Ty, but I also didn't want my movements broadcast on TV. I'm camera shy, you know.

"Thanks again, Professor, I'll keep that in mind." I turned to be on my way, when Birch called out again.

"Oh! One final thing, Star. Mind giving me your Pokegear number?"

"Sure thing. But why?"

"There's going to be a conference between professors coming up soon, and I'd like to get Oak's input on something. Since you seem to know him, I thought you'd might like to accompany me to Pallet Town for it." A trip back home?

"When?"

"Not sure, but it's coming up in a couple months, maybe. Don't know if you'll be able, but I'll keep you informed, if you want." I snapped on my Pokegear and scoured the interface for my own number.

"Here it is. I'm on my way to Rustboro City to get it fixed, but I'd love you go with you! I'm from Pallet Town, you know."

"Great! Then I'll stay in touch. Good luck out there, Star!"

Once outside, I kneeled down to assemble my bike. Vulpix watched intently as I did, as she usually did.

"Well, girl, looks like we have our ride back home! Let's try and see as much of Hoenn as we can, so that we can travel back home with the Professor!" Vulpix barked as she hopped into the basket on the bike.

"Then it's a deal! Let's get moving!"


	50. Loss of Purpose

Loss of Purpose, Chapter 50

"I'm sorry," said the police officer, "The force from Mauville conducted a thorough search of the area north of this 'Trick House', yet there was no sign of your friend."

"She couldn't have just vanished into thin air!" I was raising my voice at a police officer, which was drawing some attention from the people around me, but I honestly didn't care. To him, Yunie was just another Pokemon trainer that hadn't checked into a town in a couple days.

"Maybe she just got separated from her Pokemon, and moved on without her?" I couldn't even stomach that possibility.

"No! She would never do that to her Pokemon! Nobody who ever took care of a Pokemon would ever say something like that!"

"Let me remind you, young lady, that you're speaking to an officer, and I won't accept that tone of voice." The officer was trying to cut me some slack, but my rage was boiling over.

"I don't care!" I screamed back at him at the top of my lungs. "My friend is out there, and you aren't doing anything!"

"One more word, and I'll be forced to take action," he threatened with his finger. The people around me started to look uncomfortable, but I couldn't stop myself. I was about to explode with rage, and it all culminated in a single act. Without so much as realizing it, I gathered every trace amount of saliva in my mouth and spat in the officer's face. Not the smartest thing I've ever done.

In a swift motion, the officer got up, walked around his desk, and forced my hands behind my back. Vulpix went to defend me, and bit him on the ankle. Working through the pain, he handcuffed me before strapping a muzzle on Vulpix. Around us, everyone just turned a blind eye, not wanting to become the next victim of an angered cop. He took me downstairs and threw me in a cell, taking away my bag and Pokeballs.

"Where are you taking my Pokemon?"

"Silence!" He snapped back, which for the first time made me tremble a bit. He wiped the spit off his face and walked back upstairs, my belongings in his hands. Now that I was finally alone, I had a chance to reflect on my actions. Boy, had I flown off the handle there. I knew it wasn't his fault, he did all he possibly could from his office in town. What right did I have to do the things I did?

I did what any little girl would do in a jail cell: I started crying. Not so much because of the trouble I was in, and soon to be in, but for Yunie. She was out there, somewhere, without a Pokemon of her own and in the middle of the wilderness. Wild Pokemon, despite the name, were generally docile towards humans, no doubt fearful of being captured. Yet there was always a few kinds of critters that attacked without hesitation, and in a region I wasn't familiar with, this was certainly a greater possibility in my mind. Of course, with this fine mess I had gotten myself into, the chances of me getting out there to help search for her were slim to none.

It would be an hour or so before the officer returned to check up on me. I had since exhausted my tears, and was willing to make amends if it meant getting out of here sooner rather than later. He had a clipboard in his hands, and was jotting down some things on it before he said anything to me.

"What's your name?"

"Star, sir. And I'm sorry, I really am." Best start apologizing on the spot.

"I'm certain you are. Your last name and trainer ID?" Looked like he wasn't buying it.

"Light, but I don't know my ID number." With three different numbers already, I couldn't exactly be blamed for it. I don't even recall ever reading the number printed on my Kanto card more than twice!

"Well, your face matches all three cards found in your bag, so you are at least the same person in all three regions. Quite the accomplished trainer, I might add." He made a few more marks on the clipboard.

"Th-Thank you, sir. Um, am I in... big trouble?" I felt my heart race a bit.

"You spat in an officer's face after you were told twice to settle down. I could have you locked up for Disorderly Conduct, Assault even for the spit. At the very least I will have to call your parents and inform them of what happened here." My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach. Mom would kill me if she found out.

"Call my parents? Please, officer, I didn't mean anything, I swear!" He looked down at me from the clipboard, no doubt skeptical considering my earlier behavior.

"You know, Star, you're pretty well known around these parts these days. There was a report from Slateport City on TV a few days ago, not to mention your name has turned up in conjunction with activities against Team Rocket in both Kanto and Johto. From everything I've been able to dig up, you're nothing but an angel."

"Really? All that about me?" I was a bit taken aback by the fact my exploits were known this far out. If only they knew half the times I was involved was because I stumbled into it.

"Yes, so you see, I'm more than willing to let you go with only a slap on the wrist for what you did. I know you're just concerned about your friend." The officer produced the key to the cell door, and opened it up. I stepped outside, but made sure to keep my hands at my sides until I was dismissed.

"None of this will ever go beyond us. Just remember: the next time you anger a police officer, they might not be so lenient. Go on, now; your stuff is upstairs."

I nodded quietly and walked past him. As I reached the stairs, I stopped and looked back at him.

"Sir, is there any chance Yunie could be hurt out there? Without a Pokemon?"

"I can't say with any certainty. Route 110 isn't known for having many hostile creatures aside from Poochyena, but anything is possible. The police from Mauville City are still searching, so there's nothing to worry about. If she's lost out there, they'll find her."

What the officer never clarified was she could be dead or alive. Morbid, I know, but it was true. He wouldn't say it to a civilian, much less a kid like me, but I wasn't stupid. For all I knew, Yunie could already be- no, I wouldn't say it. I had to maintain a positive demeanor: Yunie was alive and well, just lost. Before I knew it, she'd be right in front of me again, smiling the way she always would right before she came up with another wacky idea to drive me insane.

Yeah, those were the kinds of thoughts I had to keep close to heart.

~o~

Route 102 was another straightforward road, much like 101. With the officer's continued assurance that the police was doing everything in its power to find Yunie, I decided to continue my own travels. It was with a heavy heart and conscience, but I knew Yunie wouldn't want me to worry needlessly over her. After all, she was probably having some sort of a fun time, despite being lost. She struck me as the kind of person that wouldn't let anything rain on her parade. With that in mind, I took to the road on foot, rather than bike. The day was beautiful, and the weather surprisingly warm again. I didn't know the exact date, but I was certain we were closer to the ends of September than ever before. Even in this weather, there were plenty of trees with yellow leaves, almost more than the green ones.

Which reminds me, it would be my birthday soon! I wondered as I walked along the road where I'd be when the day arrived. On the road? In some strange, new city? Regardless of where, I was certain it'd be a memorable day. Ripping me from my daydreams was a bark from Vulpix.

"What is it, girl?" I followed her gaze to a pond just past some bushes and trees. Floating all over it were a strange new kind of Pokemon. Curiosity piqued, I ran over to the side of the pond to get a closer look. They were blue, like most water types, with what looked to be yellow caps on their heads and four skinny, almost transparent legs. I pulled out my Pokedex to scan the critters.

"Surskit, the Pond Skater Pokemon. From the tips of its feet, Surskit secretes an oil that enables it to walk on water as if it were skating. This Pokemon feeds on microscopic organisms in ponds and lakes."

"Well, isn't that something," I said to myself, looking over to the small group of Surskit. I licked my lips, trying to decide if I wanted to attempt a capture. They were another water type Pokemon, a type I already had two critters of. Cute as the odd little Pokemon was, I'd only be forcing another of my Pokemon into the storage because of the six critter limit. I sighed, and looked back at Vulpix.

"Let's go, Vulpix. No sense in staying here." As I turned away from the pond, Vulpix barked once more towards the blue critters. I was about to scold her for scaring them unnecessarily when I saw the true reason she barked. There was a young boy throwing a couple Pokeballs into the pond, hoping to capture one of them. None of them struck a Surskit, however, as Vulpix's bark warned the Pokemon of the impending danger. I had a feeling this would end poorly if the kid saw us.

"Come on, Vulpix, let's get out of here quietly." I picked her up in my arms and made for the main road, trying my best not to make too much noise in the bushes. That ended up being moot after I felt something hit me on the head. I blacked out, as was typical.

~o~

"Are you alright?" The voice was distorted, as if I were underwater. Of course, I was just coming around, and my vision was slowly but surely returning. I heard Vulpix bark, and she brought me my glasses. I slipped them on, and saw the boy from the pond looking down at me. Least he was nice enough to offer aid.

"I'm so sorry! I thought you were a wild Pokemon trying to hide in the bushes!" He offered me his hand, and I used it to sit up. We were by the pond, so I assumed he dragged me over by the water, just in case. He didn't look strong enough to carry me. Before I could register anything else, I noticed my skirt was riding a bit high, which raised a red flag.

"Next time, send a Pokemon in to scare it out," I said, casually pulling down on the hem of the skirt "Even if I had been a Pokemon, I'd have broken free of the Pokeball on the spot."

"Like I said, I'm sorry. I thought you were a Pokemon because I heard a bark come from the bushes just before that." Good thing he wasn't putting it all together. I didn't want to engage in a pointless battle.

"That was Vulpix here," I said, prepping my lie. "She gets excited when she sees new Pokemon, and probably barked at them. You must've knocked me out as I went into the bushes to get her."

"Again, I'm-"

"Sorry, I know. Don't apologize so much, it's okay, really!" I crawled over to the pond and took a drink. Strangely, the water tasted a bit sweet, almost as if someone had added a bit of sugar to it. "So, what's your name?"

"I'm Calvin. What's yours?"

"Star," I answered with a smile. "You're on a Pokemon adventure?"

"Yup, I want to challenge the Elite Four, and maybe get a job as a gym leader!"

"That's cool," I said, starting to feel just a bit disoriented, "I got all eight badges in Kanto and Johto, but I didn't care about the League tournament."

"Really? That's so cool! Why not, though? You could've probably made it to the top!" His voice was starting to sound a bit distant, but he hadn't moved from his spot next to me.

"I just-" I fell back to the ground, everything starting to get blurry. "I don't feel so good, Cal."

"Star? What's wrong?"

"I think it was the water," I said, finding it harder and harder to keep my eyes open. My vision got so blurry, I couldn't even tell the trees from the ground. I latched onto Calvin's arm.

"Please, help me."

"What do I do?"

"I need to get to a doctor. How far away is Petalburg City?" He helped me to my feet, though it was pretty hard to keep my balance. Now it wasn't just my eyes that were blurry, but my head felt foggy.

"Just a little while, can you make it?" Honestly, I doubted it. After just a few steps in that direction, it got harder and harder to walk. What had I poisoned myself with?

"Calvin, inside my bag is a bike. Please help me on," I said, my eyes getting heavy. I fell on my knees, and the boy opened my bag and pulled out the small case where the bike was. It took him a couple moments to assemble it, but thanks to Vulpix he did it considerably faster than it would've taken.

"Come on, Star, I'll help you on." He took my hand and tried to get me on the bike, but I could hardly see it in front of me. I missed my step and fell over, taking the bike with me. One of the pedals pressed against my stomach, causing me to roll over and start throwing up on the floor. I blacked out again after that.

~o~

When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. My glasses weren't on my face, so I couldn't see exactly where I was. I looked around a bit, my vision bad but good enough that I could spot a small red lump in a nearby chair. I looked around some more, hoping to spot my glasses nearby.

"Oh, you're awake! How are you feeling?" I looked over to the voice, vaguely seeing the outline of a Nurse Joy. Was I in a Pokemon Center?

"Okay, I guess. Where're my glasses?" The nurse walked over to the table and brought them to me. I slipped them on to finally put the world in focus.

"I'm glad! Your friend brought you in earlier, said you drank some water that made you feel sick. It took a bit of work, but we were able to get it all out of you."

"What was it? There were some Surskit playing on the water, but I didn't think anything would happen from taking a small sip."

"Normally nothing would happen, as a Surskit's oil isn't harmful to humans. However, I think it was the honey from the Surskit's head that made you sick. It's a tasty treat for Pokemon, but it doesn't mix well with people." If the Pokedex were a better device, it would have shared that tidbit.

"Where's Calvin? The boy who brought me here?" Vulpix was sleeping in the chair on the other side of the room, with my bag and belt next to her.

"He went home for the evening, and said he'd be back to check up on you tomorrow. Perhaps you should get some rest." It was only now that I realized it was dark outside. Guess I lost my whole day because of that water. What's more, I owed Calvin my life.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy, for everything."

"My pleasure!"

~o~

"I don't know how to thank you, Calvin. If it wasn't for you, I don't know what could've happened." Nurse Joy had let me off the hook early the next morning, just after Calvin swung by to check in on me. I was feeling perfectly, as if nothing ever happened.

"We're even, now! I'm glad I was able to pedal fast enough to get here as quickly as I did." The boy blushed a little, as if saving my life was something embarrassing.

"Not quite even," I said, leaning in close. I gave him a peck on the cheek, which only made him blush hotter still. "Now, we're even!"

After I checked out of the Pokemon Center, as I wasn't in a real hospital, Calvin and I went our separate ways. I was in Petalburg City, a lively little city where the people seemed to thrive with flower gardens. The streets were dirt roads instead of pavement, and all around was green grass and flower beds. It felt almost like a giant greenhouse, despite the colder weather that morning. Vulpix, ever a fan of flowers, was having a blast going around to each bed, while I just slowly made my way through town. May said she was from here, so I wondered which house was hers.

My search stopped quite quickly when I spotted a Pokemon gym nestled between a half dozen flower beds. I wasn't going to pass on a chance to face a gym leader, so I carried Vulpix into the gym with me, otherwise she'd have stayed behind to smell all the flowers.

Inside, the gym looked like a traditional house, sort of like Koga's. The primary difference here was that the arena was inside, while windows to the outside showed flowers all over the place. There was no one in the hall, prompting me to wonder if all leaders in Hoenn were slackers of some sort. I took my spot at one end of the arena, and called out.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" My voice echoed in the hall, something I was becoming a bit too familiar with. The door on the other end opened, and out came a middle aged man with short, dark hair.

"Yes? Can I help you?"

"My name is Star, and I've come to challenge the gym leader for a badge." I remembered to show my trainer card this time, just in case checking it was a requirement in Hoenn. The leader, however, didn't bother to.

"Well, I'm Norman, and I accept your challenge on one condition: do you possess at least four Pokemon?"

"Uh, yeah, I do. Why?" That was the first time a leader ever bothered to ask how many Pokemon I had.

"Rules of the gym. I take it you're prepared to battle, Star?" I nodded, expecting the rules to follow. "We shall each use four Pokemon, and battle until all four are defeated on either end. If you win, I will award you with the Balancebadge. Are you ready?"

Again I nodded, and Norman sent out his first Pokemon. The Pokeball erupted to reveal a little bear Pokemon, whose eyes looked to be stuck in an eternal daze. This critter probably gave me the clue I needed to determine Norman's type preference, so I produced my Pokedex to identify it.

"Spinda, the Spot Panda Pokemon. It is distinguished by a pattern of spots that is always different. Its unsteady, tottering walk has the effect of fouling its foe's aim."

"A normal type, so let's open with one of my newest friends," I said to myself, as I reached for Poochyena's Pokeball. I threw it out onto the arena, and the battle officially began.

"Poochyena, Bite!" Despite hearing my command, Poochyena just turned and growled at me. I couldn't believe after all these badges, a Pokemon was disobeying my orders!

"Spinda, Teeter Dance!"

The small bear clapped its hands, drawing Poochyena's attention. It started to wobble around on the spot, slowly making its way towards Poochyena, who couldn't help but follow the Pokemon's routine.

"Poochyena, snap out of it and use Bite!"

"Spinda, Dizzy Punch!"

The odd critter reeled back its fist while Poochyena just stood there. The attack knocked my Pokemon straight back towards me, right out of bounds and officially out of the battle. The fact that Poochyena was already confused by Spinda's Teeter Dance made it extremely susceptible to the blow. That was my first mistake in that battle.

"Select your next Pokemon, Star."

I put Poochyena back in his Pokeball, and thought hard on my next choice. Sending Vulpix out was more or less a surefire win, considering she was among my best. However, I didn't know what else Norman had in his roster, and I was already going three to four. I decided to fight fire with fire. I released Smeargle, his tail in his hand like a brush.

"Spinda, Teeter Dance!"

"Smeargle, use Flamethrower!"

The small bear started to do his dance, but Smeargle ignored it as it remembered the move from his last battle. Using his tail, he swashed magical paint onto a canvas made of air, releasing a blast of flames that blew away Spinda. According to the Pokedex, he could remember dozens of abilities after having seen them only once, which made him quite an ally in tough fights. With enough practice, he could probably learn every attack in the world!

"Spinda, return!" Norman's move surprised me, especially since Spinda wasn't badly hurt despite the flames. Norman produced another Pokeball and released his next Pokemon, one that bore a resemblance to a Mankey, if taller and skinnier. I scanned it with my Pokedex.

"Vigoroth, the Wild Monkey Pokemon. It can't keep still because its blood boils with energy. It runs through the fields and mountains all day to calm itself. If it doesn't, it can't sleep at night."

"Vigoroth, Focus Energy!"

"Smeargle, one more Flamethrower!"

Vigoroth screamed out, charging up power for its next attack. I knew it would be painful, so I had to not only interrupt it, but also try and knock it out in a single blow. As Vigoroth charged up, Smeargle drew the splash in the air to release the Flamethrower, but the white Pokemon was able to deftly dodge the blow! He ran around to Smeargle's side, prepapring to launch the next strike.

"Focus Punch, Vigoroth!"

"Smeargle, watch out!"

I was too late, though. The white monkey launched a blow so powerful, Smeargle was sent crashing into the wall on the other side of the building. I ran over to him, making sure not to step in the arena and get disqualified. He was out cold, but he didn't look to be hurt badly. That is to say, broken bones or a cracked skull.

"Choose your next Pokemon, Star." I shot a glance at Norman, who remained composed and orderly the entire time. I had seen trainers like him before, but I was still finding it hard to believe he wouldn't offer aid, especially after such a devastating attack. I put Smeargle back in his Pokeball, and went back to my side of the arena. Vulpix scratched at my leg, begging to be put into the battle. With the odds now stacked against me, it was time to turn the tables on Norman.

"Vulpix, get out there for our friends! Use Quick Attack!"

"Vigoroth, Sucker Punch!"

Vulpix vanished from sight, as usual, while Vigoroth held his ground. I figured he didn't know what to do, but that went out the window when he reeled back his arm to deliver a blow into air for no reason. However, Vulpix came flying out of no where, sliding across the arena floor and just out of bounds. How did Vigoroth know where she was coming from?

"Your Vulpix has been disqualified, Star. Would you like to use your last Pokemon, or forfeit now?"

"No!" I screamed out. This battle hadn't gone well from the start, but I knew I could still turn it around. With only one Pokemon left on my end, it would be a tough battle, but not impossible. I chose Vaporeon and sent him out onto the field.

"Vigoroth, Focus Energy!"

"Vaporeon, Aurora Beam!"

Again, the white Pokemon started pumping up for its next attack, only to be struck this time by Vaporeon's spectral attack. Vigoroth was sent back a little, but he managed to finish charging up for the next blow. I had to make sure Vaporeon avoided it at all costs.

"Vigoroth, Faint Attack!"

Norman's command caught me off guard, and I didn't think fast enough to order Vaporeon. Vigoroth charged forward, fading out of visibility until he took a powerful swing at Vaporeon. He was knocked back a bit, but was still in decent combat form.

"Vaporeon, Take Down!"

Perhaps not the best attack choice, but Vaporeon was close enough to deliver a powerful blow on Vigoroth. The monkey Pokemon was sent back a ways, collapsing on the ground. Vaporeon, on the other hand, was still on his feet, if only barely. I knew this battle was over. Norman nodded, and recalled his Pokemon, releasing Spinda once again to finish the job. The little bear was a bit burned from the earlier flames, but otherwise in top form.

"Spinda, Psybeam!"

"No, wait!" The small bear remained in place. I pulled out my Pokeball and called back Vaporeon, sparing him from any further pain.

"Does this mean what I think it does?"

"Yes," I mumbled, barely audible. "I forfeit."

~o~

"Losing is just part of being a Pokemon trainer. You get back on the road, Star, and before you know it, you'll be better than ever before. When that time comes, you can come back and challenge me again."

Norman told me that right after our match. He was actually quite gentle and soft-spoken, despite his earlier demeanor. And though I took his advice to heart, I was wracked on the inside. My entire reason for collecting badges was just for the sake of it. Like Jasmine had asked me back in Olivine City: what would I do the day I lost? Was there really a reason to suffer a rematch for something that was little more than a souvenir?

I sat outside the Pokemon Center with Vulpix. She had been cleared sooner than my other Pokemon, and was enjoying a sweet treat courtesy of Nurse Joy. I stared out at the flowers, unsure what to do now. Without this badge, my collection would be incomplete, but was it really worth all the trouble for another trinket? Sure, it meant something to many trainers out there, but to me, it was just another memory of my time on the road.

"You look like you could use some help." I looked up at the source of the voice. It was May!

"May? What are you doing here?"

"Came home to pick up some things. You look down, everything alright?" She took a seat next to me, egging me on to share what just happened.

"I lost." I said, strangely not feeling hurt or sad about it. "I lost against the gym leader here. You know him?"

"More than you realize", she said. "He's my dad."

"What? Really?"

"Yeah, so you kinda see now why I didn't want to get into Pokemon."

"What about the story with the Tentacool?"

"True, but not as bad as your own dad pushing you to get into the same thing he does. I just don't want to, you know? But being the daughter of a gym leader..."

"People expect things from you," I finished for her. My own dad was never there, so I wasn't sure how to react. According to Mom, he went out one day and never came back. The police from Viridian City looked all over for him, but he was never found. Probably why Mom became so clingy and protective.

"So, don't let it get you down! So you lost; so what? You have all those badges that prove you're a great trainer! What's one loss? Just keep moving, and one day you can try again. No trainer is perfect, right?"

"You're right, May. This wasn't my first loss, and it sure won't be my last. Thanks for the help." I stood up, my determination renewed.

"Anything for my 'big sister'." I looked down at her, watching as she smiled at me.

She was right, of course. I couldn't let Norman's complete and utter victory get me down. There were still another six gym leaders in Hoenn, and I was sure with some more practice, I'd earn those other badges. Norman would just have to wait.

Yeah, they were all just trinkets in the long run. But I made it a goal of collecting them, and I wasn't about to back out of that goal on a whim.


	51. Shadows & Old Friends

Shadows & Old Friends, Chapter 51

I took in a deep breath, enjoying the scent of the air. Just outside Petalburg City, out on Route 104, was a grand beach, mostly untouched by human hands. Sure, there were signs of humankind and Pokemon all over the place, but there were no buildings or houses anywhere in sight. For the most part, it was an untouched paradise. And it was all mine for at least an hour that day.

Vulpix and I ran down to the waterfront, and I was tempted to take a quick splash in the shallow water. The battle with Norman was well behind me, and all that mattered at this point was the ocean before me. I slipped off my sandals and stepped closer to the water's edge, letting the tide scrub my feet. Vulpix was having fun running to and fro, but made sure to stay away from the water entirely.

For a moment, I started to wonder why I liked the ocean so much. I practically grew up with it right outside my door, so it felt normal at first. But why was it normal? Whenever I found something good like this I always seemed to try and question it needlessly. Just another crazy aspect of my personality, one I didn't want to have, yet would feel incomplete without. I laughed at myself as I went around in circles with these thoughts. What would Deneb say if he heard me?

It was about midday when I was forced to leave the beachside. In a way, it was a good thing it all happened, but I also wanted to stay there just a while longer. A ways south from my position, there were quite a few people gathering at the water's edge. Ever curious, I slipped my sandals back on my feet and walked towards the crowd. I managed to stop before they noticed me, however, and ducked for cover behind a couple palm trees. The crowd was composed entirely of Team Aqua members.

I couldn't make out anything they were saying, but whatever it was, it couldn't be anything good. After making sure that Vulpix wouldn't go barking to draw attention to us, I peeked from behind the trees. The uniformed members were checking something in the water, but I couldn't make out if it was something Pokemon related. After a few moments of this, a few of them released Pokemon into the ocean, and hopped aboard to be taken further south. The member in charge, judging by his or her different outfit, pointed out a few things before taking off on a Pokemon of his or her own.

Those that stayed behind stayed focused on whatever was at the waterfront, but there was no way I'd ever find out what it was without getting closer. Of course, that was out of the question. Once my curiosity had been satisfied sufficiently, I carried Vulpix in my arms and ran back onto the main road. As far as I could tell, not a one of Team Aqua saw me on the beach, and I wanted to get through Petalburg Woods without incident.

As you can already guess, this wasn't to be the case.

~o~

These woods reminded me so much of the Viridian Forest, from back when I first started my adventure. In a way, it also reminded me of my trip through the Ilex Forest back in Johto, when I met up with Celebi. And in yet another way, I was reminded of my trip through Mt Moon, in the sense that I'd be running into Team Rocket-slash-Magma goons while there.

Vulpix led the way through after a while, after I ran into half a dozen spider webs trying to lead the way myself. Despite being somewhat comfortable around bug Pokemon, the thought of being covered in their sticky web just sent shivers down my spine. Crawling along the edges of the beaten path, and all over the trees were small pink bugs, along with the occasional Caterpie or Weedle. Being unfamiliar with the pink critters, I of course produced my Pokedex to scan them!

"Wurmple, the Worm Pokemon. It lives among the tall grass and in forests. It repels attacks by raising up the spikes on its rear."

I will admit, I was slightly tempted to catch one of them, finding them to be rather adorable. However, since I was out of Pokeballs as it was, I was restricted by that reason alone. Actually, to be perfectly accurate, I still had that purple Master Ball from the Seafoam Islands on me, but I wasn't going to waste it on a bug Pokemon of all things. Not that the temptation to capture Wurmple was any less. I'd just have to make a return visit to the woods later.

"Vulpix, remind me to buy more Pokeballs when we get to Rustboro, okay?" The small fox barked, as if she'd actually remind me when I needed it.

We pressed onward through the forest, sometimes getting lost off the beaten path on purpose. There was a soft breeze blowing through the trees, making all the leaves rustle and raining down quite a few of them on us. Fall was practically upon us, and every day there were more and more yellow and red leaves instead of green. Coupled with the rustling was the rhythmic pitter-patter of bug Pokemon. I loved the ocean, but the sounds of the forest were something else to enjoy entirely.

Too bad I didn't get to indulge in them for longer. After I took a short break to eat something, I heard something much larger than any bug Pokemon or occasional Zigzagoon stomping around. At the cost of my sandwich, I managed to muzzle Vulpix before she started barking at whatever it was. After a few moments, we heard the stomp again, but whatever it was, it wasn't large enough to cause the ground to shake.

"Don't bark, okay? We don't want anything to know we're here," I told Vulpix. She nodded, and I let her go. Sniffing about the area, she pointed to the source of the stomping, awaiting my command. Rushing right towards the potential danger wasn't something I wanted to do this time, but curiosity was getting the better of me. One day it'd be my death.

After slithering through dozens of trees and along the ground to avoid running into more webs, we happened across a group of Team Magma grunts. There were three of them, and had two people tied up on the ground. One of them was a middle aged man in a fancy suit, while the other looked strangely familiar, but I couldn't tell who at that distance. Didn't surprise me that Team Magma was pulling the same tricks as Team Rocket normally did.

"Where did you hide the goods, Mr Stone?" One of the grunts asked the middle aged man. He released a Poochyena, which didn't take kindly to the man on the ground.

"Right here," said the man defiantly. "In these woods. Best get to searching, I'm sure you'll find it in a few months. That is, unless the Wurmples eat it."

"Why you...!" The grunt was about to kick Mr Stone in the stomach, when his Poochyena started barking in my direction. Worried that I'd be spotted, I ducked underneath a fallen tree, too scared to peek and see if they were coming my way.

"What is it, boy? Something hiding behind there?" I cursed under my breath, something so unladylike I had to pinch myself. I was found out, so better to go out fighting than submit quietly.

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

She leapt out from behind the tree, blasting the Poochyena before it was able to get any closer. I poked my head out from behind the tree, catching sight of the Poochyena as it crawled back to its owner. The other two grunts came forward, ready to beat me back into the woods.

"Star? Is that you?" The voice was familiar, so I looked past the grunts to see the young man behind Mr Stone. Of all the people in the world, it was David!

"Someone you know, eh? Take her out!" At the command of the defeated grunt, the other two released their own Pokemon. One released a Poochyena, and the other a large fluttering purple critter I didn't recognize. Before I could release another Pokemon to battle, we all felt the stomping again. This time, it was far closer than before.

"What's that?"

"It couldn't be... Groudon, could it?" The grunts started looking around, completely forgetting they were supposed to be in a battle.

"Ignore the girl! Find the source of that stomping!" The grunt in charge ordered.

They didn't have to look very far. After another series of stomps, the source walked right up to us. It stood nearly seven feet tall, its skin a dark black, appearing to be armor more than anything. The grunts wasted no time in ordering attacks against it. I took advantage and scanned the monstrous critter before trying anything.

"Aggron, the Heavy Metal Pokemon. It claims a large mountain as its sole territory. It mercilessly thrashes those that violate its space."

The Aggron roared loudly as it took a swipe at the Poochyena, sending the smaller Pokemon flying into a tree. The Pokedex said it claimed mountains as homes, so this one was probably looking for a new one when we happened upon it.

"Dustox, use Toxic!" I watched for a moment as the purple Pokemon spat a wad of purple goo at the Aggron, but it seemed to just wipe away the muck without consequence. It swung at the Dustox, slamming the critter into the ground just before it crushed the Pokemon underneath its massive foot.

Unable to bear the sight, I ran towards Mr Stone and David, helping them to their feet. The grunts were trying their best to defeat the Aggron, so we took advantage of that to make our escape. Vulpix was barking the entire time at the larger Pokemon, ready and willing to face the beast if it came down to it. After a few moments of darting through the trees, we took a moment to catch our breaths.

"Thank you, Star," said David as he rested against a tree. "I never expected to see you here, of all places."

"I owe you my thanks as well, young lady," chimed in Mr Stone. "Without your help, we'd probably be mush underneath that Pokemon's feet right about now."

"That Dustox, though... he was..." I cut myself off. The thought of that Pokemon having been killed in such a manner was too much.

"Nothing you could've done, Star. Those Magma fools should've run at the first sight of that Pokemon. Aggron are not to be taken lightly, especially one outside its normal habitat." I helped David out of his restraints, and followed up with Mr Stone.

"Why were you two being held prisoner, though? And why didn't you try and fight back, David?"

"We were abducted from Rustboro, actually," answered Mr Stone. "David here was with me in the office when Team Magma showed up and took us by force last night. There was nothing we could do."

"My Pokemon were back at the center. Quite embarrassing, right?" David's ability to pass off anything with a slight chuckle and a smile was still intact. I hadn't seen him since Fuchsia City, when we went our separate ways in the Safari Zone.

"So what did they want with you?" Before they could answer, we heard another stomp from far away. We all went silent for a second, wondering if we'd have to start running again. A couple seconds after, we heard another stomp, only this one was further away than before.

"The Devon Goods," replied Mr Stone. "It's a special package that's supposed to be coming in today. It contains some new equipment for our research, so I suppose they wanted to get their hands on it for their own petty schemes."

"Where are they, then?"

"Safe," chipped in David with a smile. "They're coming in by Pidgeot Express. No way they'd ever have gotten it by taking us hostage. Joke's on them."

"We can discuss the rest back in the office. Young lady, would you be so kind as to escort us the rest of the way? I'd also like to reward you for lending us aid."

"Of course! I was on my way to Rustboro City, to get my Pokegear fixed."

"Is that so? Well, a big surprise awaits you once we get back!" Mr Stone gave me a smile and led the way, leaving the rest of us behind. David leaned in close and whispered something into my ear.

"The surprise is he's the head of the Devon Corp. Just act surprised when we get back." I giggled, but made sure not to let Mr Stone overhear.

"How've you been, David? It's been so long since we last saw each other!" Vulpix ran up to him, clearly remembering who the young man was. He gave her a pat on the head before we followed Mr Stone. For a man without Pokemon, he was sure strutting around without any fear.

"Good, actually. My Diglett Tunnel connecting Vermillion City and Pewter really helped Silph get back in touch with the public. After the building was taken over by Team Rocket, people weren't exactly happy around us anymore. The tunnel helped people begin to trust us all again."

"That's cool! So why are you here?"

"Work. The company lost lots of good people after the Rocket incident, so I decided to let myself get hired and give up my Pokemon adventures. This is just one of my many trips around the world, you know. I've been to the Sinnoh region, Orre, even Unova!"

"Unova? Where's that?"

"Far out in the west, beyond the ocean. It's like a whole different world, filled with Pokemon I've never even dreamed could exist." The way David talked about it made me want to explore it for myself one day.

"Wish I could go there someday."

"Maybe you can. You let me know, and I'll see if I can't sneak you onboard a plane headed there in the future. You won't be able to take much, but I'm sure that doesn't matter."

"Thanks, David! I'd like that!"

~o~

It was a few hours before we finally made it out of that forest. The sun was beginning to set, though there was still quite a ways to walk before we arrived at Rustboro. Mr Stone was the first to complain about his sore feet, so we'd have to stop for the day somewhere. Luckily, there was a flower shop just off the main road. Mr Stone was the first one inside, setting up reservations to allow us to stay the night. Far as I could tell, it was a shop, not a hotel.

"Mr Stone isn't crazy, is he?"

"Not at all, Star. He does have plenty of money and connections, though. I'm sure he'll be able to arrange something for us here once he talks with the manager. In the meantime, why don't we have a look around?"

I looked around the shop for a while alongside David, taking in all the potted plants without a word from him. At first, I didn't mind, as I was occupied by the sights, but then it started to bug me. Why was he being so quiet and mysterious?

"David, say something." My command caught him by surprise.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You looked to be so engrossed in the flowers, I didn't want to disturb." He was lying. I watched from the corner of my eye as he spoke, and he wasn't even looking directly at me.

"What's really going on? You used to be so friendly back when we first met."

"Was I? It was so long ago, I cannot be certain."

"Fine, don't tell me. I mean, all I did was save your life. Least you could do is share what's on your mind."

"I see you've gotten quite good at mind games, Star. You wouldn't happen to have caught a Kadabra and started learning some psychic tricks?"

"I just want to know what's going on! Unlike Mr Stone, you didn't look the least bit worried about the Team Magma grunts. And leaving your Pokemon at the center? That's also a lie." I spun around and poked his chest. As I thought, my finger crashed into something hard between his vest and his heart. David just smiled at me the way he always did.

"Can't slip anything past you, can I?" He reached into his vest and gave me a glimpse of the Pokeball.

"Don't tell me you're with Team Magma?" I backed away slightly, Vulpix overhearing my statement and jumping between us.

"It's not what you think, Star," David said, shaking his head. "I'm not with Team Magma, I'm undercover."

"Undercover? Like a secret agent in a spy movie?"

"Something to that effect. I was recruited by a man called Steven, the League Champion of Hoenn, to investigate Mr Stone. However, I find this disturbing on several levels, considering Steven is Mr Stone's son."

"What? His own son?" Just what had I unwittingly gotten myself into this time?

"The Devon Corporation is the largest company in all Hoenn. When Teams Magma and Aqua surfaced, with so many supplies readily available to them, Steven suspected a link between the company and the teams. Because I work for Silph, he thought it would be best to ask me to do the infiltration while we conduct business as usual."

"So is he...?"

"Not that I can tell. If Stone were on their side, the grunts wouldn't have gone through the trouble of taking us from Rustboro in the first place. Of course, it could all be an elaborate ruse." How David was able to say these things with a smile on his face astounded me.

"David, I'm ten. Just tell me straight: what's going on?"

"Very well, if you'd like to know, it will cost you." I couldn't believe my ears. Was he extorting me?

"How much?" Again, that fiendish smile.

"Nothing, actually," he said, taking note that Mr Stone was heading in our direction. "Just wanted to see how far you were willing to go."

"All settled! The manager will be setting us up for the night, free of charge! David, if you'd accompany me to the back room, there's still a few things left to discuss regarding the proposition."

"Of course, Mr Stone. If you'd spare me one additional minute with Star?"

"Certainly. I'll see you in the back." Once Mr Stone was out of earshot, David leaned in close, so that only I could hear what he was about to say.

"Between you and me, I know of your role in stopping Team Rocket; it's old news in the upper parts of the world. Which is why I'm comfortable telling you the following: Team Magma has a secret base somewhere on Route 110, just south of Mauville City. Since these teams have surfaced, we've been trying to find a way into the base."

"And you haven't been able to," I chipped in. This was usually the case with these things, as if I would be the one to uncover the entrance.

"Rumor has it there's a secret entrance somewhere in Mauville City itself, but we can't go digging around ourselves without being caught."

"So you want me to help?" I guessed.

"On the contrary: if you're ever in Mauville City, conduct your business quickly, and leave. We have reason to believe this secret base belongs to Team Magma alone, despite the reports that they're conducting a joint operation regarding the legendary Pokemon. If it comes to light that they have this base, we could have a bit of a problem on our collective hands with Team Aqua."

"I don't get it," I said, now honestly confused by all this cloak and dagger stuff. "If they start fighting, wouldn't that be good for us?"

"That's the thing, they would fight each other, but not as a priority. Their goal remains to capture and use their respective Pokemon. If fueled by competition rather than cooperation..."

"They could probably finish the job quicker," I finished for him.

"This doesn't have to be your concern, Star. You've done all of us enough of a job with Team Rocket. Pretend you never heard anything of what I just said."

David have me another of his smiles, as if with that all was well in the world again. I took a seat on the floor after he left, petting Vulpix as I gave everything some thought. Why warn me about these things if he didn't expect me to try and do something about it all? Giovanni may have been forced into hiding, but that didn't mean his followers would stop doing the evil things they were told to do. It was like my battle with him never ended.

Vulpix licked my face, trying to cheer me up. I smiled at her, still unsure what to do. David was right about one thing: had I not asked, I would've been much happier.

Then again, I had this feeling, deep down, that no matter what, I'd be at the center of all this. I just had that kind of bad luck.

"But it doesn't have to bog me down," I told Vulpix, who was left just as perplexed as I was only a moment ago.

"I'll just smile and keep walking!"


	52. Rustboro's Star Pupil

Rustboro's Star Pupil, Chapter 52

You know it pays to have money? That was the thought floating in my mind as I sat in the car on the way into Rustboro City the next morning. Not only had Mr Stone gotten us some great beds to sleep in, but also a ride into the city, free of charge! Honestly, I was looking forward to walking the rest of the way, if only to try and drill more information regarding Teams Magma and Aqua from David. In the car, his attention was monopolized by Mr Stone, and I doubted David would say anything else to me about the matter, especially with Mr Stone so close.

Still, I didn't let it get to me as I stared out the window to see the city. I had lost count by this point on how many different places I'd visited on my travels, but I can honestly say each new place, no matter how similar or reminiscent of another, felt like a new world to me. Maybe I was just easily impressed, as was Vulpix. The entire drive through town she couldn't sit still, barking at every person we drove by, especially those with Pokemon at their sides. I'd later learn it was a growing trend to have Pokemon outside their Pokeballs. Not to seem self-absorbed, but I was pretty sure I had something to do with it all. Especially if Gabby and Ty were in some way involved.

After a few minutes of sightseeing, we arrived at a massive building somewhere by the oceanside. I looked over to a sign over the half dozen doors that made up the entrance.

"Devon Corp.," I read aloud.

"That's right, Star. We're finally back," said Mr Stone as he let himself out of the car. David and I followed him, sadly a bit too closely for me to sneak in an additional question or two.

I followed them into the building itself, where upon Mr Stone was bombarded with concerns about his well being and his whereabouts following the abduction. Of course, no one knew it was an abduction; Mr Stone made sure everyone thought he had just stepped out of the city limits for a couple days to talk private business with David. As Mr Stone handled the commotion, David pulled me away and took me upstairs, intent on giving me something of a tour of the building. I jumped at the opportunity to ask more about Team Magma.

"Whatever are you talking about, Star?" He said coyly.

"You know what I'm talking about! You can't just tell me what you did then expect me not to worry!" Despite arguing, I was taking in the sights around me. On the second floor, displays of all sorts of inventions and products made by the company lined the walls. Among them were the Pokegear, and another similar device titled the 'Pokemon Navigator'.

"I'm afraid I cannot say more on the matter. Perhaps it was a mistake to say anything in the first place." You can say that again. David had always been dodgy, but he had certainly perfected the art in the time we hadn't seen each other.

"So you aren't going to tell me anything?"

"Tell you what, Star?" I jumped a bit at the sudden third voice. It was Mr Stone, finally free from all the other employees downstairs.

"Oh, nothing to worry about, Mr Stone," David said, saving both himself and me from the older man. "Star here just wanted to know what else there was to see and do in Rustboro."

"Oh, well there's plenty! This city has a vibrant history, let me tell you: since it was founded, we have dedicated ourselves to integrating science and nature!"

"Sir, please, she asked about the city, not what the Devon Corporation does," David cut in, causing Mr Stone to give him a bit of a glare.

"Right you are, son. Well, Star, if you'll follow me to the next floor. There's a gift awaiting you in my office." Mr Stone led the way, and David motioned for me to follow. I gave him a glare of my own, which he just shrugged off with that smile of his. I'd have to be content with what I already knew regarding Team Magma.

Up on the third floor, there was only one thing to mention: the table. The entire floor was devoid of anything but a massive rectangular table in the center. There must've been a few dozen chairs at it, though I wondered what it could possibly be used for aside from a company luncheon. On the far side of the floor was a much smaller desk belonging to Mr Stone. He sat down in his chair behind the desk and started searching for something in the drawers. After a moment of scavenging, he produced an orange device which I had seen only a moment earlier.

"This here is a Pokemon Navigator, or Pokenav for short. It's the Hoenn equivalent of the Pokegear, with special features designed exclusively for use in the Hoenn region." Mr Stone handed me the device, and I had to admire his ability to sell anything so readily. If I were to pay for the thing, I'd probably be sold on the spot.

"Thank you, sir. Does it work the same as my Pokegear?"

"Certainly! It may take a bit of getting used to, but all in all it's the same technology. Just a small token of gratitude for helping me out." I went right ahead and turned it on, hoping to play around with the buttons and start learning how it worked.

"Well, Star, if you don't mind, Mr Stone and I still have some business to attend to." David was already looking to get me out of his hair.

"That we do. Please travel safely, my dear. And feel free to visit again, if you're ever in the area." I nodded, and started for the door. Before I was out of earshot, I heard Mr Stone call out to me one more time.

"If you want to meet other Pokemon trainers, visit the school on the other side of town! I'm sure you'll be welcomed there!"

~o~

"Another school?" I muttered to myself, and to Vulpix, as I stood before the building. She barked at the building, telling me to go inside.

"It's like Violet City all over again. Is the world running out of things for me to do?" I looked down at Vulpix, who continued to bark at the building, and was now pointing at something else etched above the main entrance. I had to squint a bit to make it out, but it was soon clear as day.

"'Gym'. Looks like the city gym is inside the school. Welp, best get this over with, right?"

I opened the door and let myself inside the building. The hallways were surprisingly quiet, considering it was a school. I half expected students to be running up and down the halls. There was a woman tending to the office at the entrance, and she didn't let me take more than a few steps inside before calling me over.

"Can I help you?"

"Yeah, I'm looking for the gym leader. This is the city gym, right?"

"Do you have a trainer card?"

"Yes," I said, digging through my bag for a moment to show it to her. "Here it is."

She examined it for a moment, then looked over at me as if to make sure I was the girl in the picture. She then scanned the card into the computer next to her, printed something out, and handed it all back to me. Along with card was a temporary ID badge, for free passage through the school.

"Please relinquish all personal belongings, including your Pokemon. While you're here, you have to abide by the school's rules." What kind of trainer school would take away your Pokemon?

"What about my match with the gym leader? I'll need them!"

"If Roxanne accepts your challenge, she will have them sent for. In the meantime, please hand them over, or I will be forced to ask you to leave." The woman made no effort to sound threatening, keeping her monotone the entire time. Not wanting to run the risk of police trouble again, I took off my belt and stashed it into my bag before handing it to her. She slapped a large sticker on the bag with my trainer ID number, and made it vanish behind her desk. She hadn't noticed Vulpix, however, and as such didn't ask for her.

"Please enjoy your visit to the school." Her attention on something else, I picked Vulpix up and ran down the hallway, hoping she wouldn't notice. Once I was out of sight, I wandered through the halls for a little bit until I found a door labeled 'Contests'. Curious, I peeked into the class through the door's window.

Inside, I could make out a small crowd of kid trainers with Pokemon. There was a large stage, and performing on it was a little boy with a Squirtle. He ordered the Pokemon to use Bubble, but there wasn't anyone to use it on. Instead, the Squirtle sprayed the foam into the air, letting it rain down on him as he masterfully dodged each bubble. Quite the feat for a Pokemon as slow as Squirtle, I had to admit. After a round of applause, the kid got off the stage and up went another little boy and his Rattata.

I continued down the hall, still hoping to find this Roxanne to challenge her. I came upon another door, marked 'Beginners', with a familiar voice emanating from within. I peeked through the window, and saw a clear picture of Professor Oak on a large TV on the wall.

"Now, can anyone tell me which types would be most effective against bugs?" The children inside all raised their hands, eager to be called upon to answer the professor's question. I remember him doing something of the like back in Pallet Town when I was about five.

"Jimmy?" The young lady in charge of the class picked out one of the students.

"Fire types!" He answered proudly.

"Correct, son! But that's not the only type that's effective against bugs. Anyone else?" Again, the hands shot into the air. Eager to greet the professor, I let myself into the room, and raised my own hand. I instantly caught his attention.

"Flying types," I said, smiling at him.

"Correct! If it isn't Star! It's been a while since you've contacted us."

"I know, and I'm sorry. How's everyone there?"

"Excuse me, I am trying to teach a class here," the young woman cut in. I had almost forgotten I had just barged into the classroom without permission.

"My apologies, Roxanne. This is Star, she's a Pokemon trainer from Pallet Town, no doubt here to challenge the Rustboro Gym Leader." It felt a bit weird to be introduced by a TV, but weirder still was being the center of attention for a whole classroom of kids.

"Actually, I am. Would you happen to be her?" I asked the young woman.

"As a matter of fact-"

"-she is!" Professor Oak cut her off. "Roxanne here is one of the school's most honored graduates, and was quickly given the title of gym leader following her graduation."

"Professor, thank you for your time. I'm afraid I'll have to terminate the call." Roxanne switched off the large TV screen, despite the Professor's protests. The students had all gotten pretty riled up since my entrance, but a quick snap of the ruler in Roxanne's hand put them back in line instantly. She pointed to the door, ordering me out of her class.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your lesson," I got straight to apologizing, once we were out of the classroom. Vulpix hadn't entered the room, fortunately, otherwise the kids would've gone crazy trying to pet her. Something similar happened when I first got her and decided to sneak her into school once.

"Bygones. You're well acquainted with the Professor, I take it?"

"Yes, I am. It was thanks to him that I was able to get on my way back in Kanto, and later in the Johto region as well."

"So you're not just a rookie trainer, I see. You hoping to enter the Hoenn League?" I shook my head.

"No, I'm just here to practice my ability, and collect a badge." Roxanne was a bit baffled by my motives. I guess I really needed to come up with a good and short explanation to share with everyone who found my need to collect badges odd.

"Well, I won't bother asking further. Unfortunately, I'm not taking challenges right now; I am in the middle of a lecture. You can come back later, Star." She turned around and was about to go back into her classroom when I held her back.

"Wait! How long will you be?"

"Can't say, I do have a busy schedule, you know." As did every other gym leader in the Hoenn region, it seemed.

"Can I wait here until you're free? I don't want to leave the city without challenging you first."

"Very well, you may sit in on my lecture. Prepare to be treated as any other student, though." Before she went back into the class, the brunette looked down at Vulpix, who had been quiet this entire time as she groomed herself.

"Is this your Pokemon?"

"Yeah, this is Vulpix." The small fox looked at Roxanne and nodded, as if it were enough of a greeting.

"You do know there's a strict rule here about having Pokemon inside the building. I will make an exception, but she will have to remain by my desk until the lecture is over. Understood?"

"Yes, perfectly." I nodded vigorously. Roxanne snapped her fingers, and Vulpix followed her into the classroom without a hitch. She seemed to command a respect from everyone around her, it seemed.

I followed her into the classroom and took a seat somewhere in the back of the class. Roxanne composed herself for a moment before taking that ruler in her hand to the board behind where the TV used to be.

"Now, moving right along. Like Professor Oak was saying before he left, the bug type has multiple weakness, but this doesn't necessarily mean its a weak type. Bugs are among the most versatile Pokemon known to us, not to mention they hold a powerful advantage over the psychic type. Be sure to keep that in mind, kids."

I sighed as she continued the lecture. This was all stuff I knew twice over, and was not particularly interested in learning over again. Since I wasn't technically a student of hers, I decided to rest my head on the desk for a moment. I didn't get more than ten seconds before a loud slap less than a foot away scared my head back upright. It was Roxanne, that ruler in her hand.

"What was that for?" I said, trying to calm my heartbeat.

"There's no sleeping in my class, Star. Sit upright and pay attention, or else..." She replied, waving that ruler in my face.

"I don't think you're allowed to hit kids with those anymore." Perhaps I said this out of a need to be rebellious, expecting Roxanne to back away. Instead, she just smiled and leaned in close.

"True, but I never intended to harm you. Just startle you. Now, answer my question."

"Question? What question?" I honestly didn't hear one.

"Class?" She asked all the other students. They all took a bit of a breath before answering in unison:

"Bug Buzz!"

"Correct. Now, Star, it would be wise for you to pay attention, otherwise you might not pass the exam." My eyes widened.

"Exam? What exam?" This question had a few of the other students giggling at me.

"The test at the end of the day. Standard stuff, Star, and all part of the gym challenge."

~o~

Well, I won't bore you to tears with Roxanne's lecture and test to follow. I think she was out to make an example of me, perhaps for interrupting her lecture, and didn't take her eye off me. Every few minutes she'd put me on the spot, asking me a rather obvious question just to make sure I was paying attention. Of course, after that first ruler slap my drowsiness was gone entirely, so I was sharp as a tack.

Once the class was over, the rest of the class departed, leaving only us within. I got up and walked to her desk, where Vulpix rejoined me. She didn't pay any attention to me for a moment as she finished writing down a few things.

"So, you passed my exam," she said, handing me the paper. I managed to pass it with 72%.

"Wow, I did that good?" I said, looking proudly at the piece of paper in my hands.

"Good? Just how low were the standards in Pallet Town? Strikes me as strange, considering Professor Oak's presence."

"Well, he didn't teach at my school. He did visit one day to teach us about wild Pokemon, though!"

"Well, I suppose you're right. He is a professor, I'm sure he had more important things to do. I'm fortunate he's able to broadcast lectures here as often as he does. The students really appreciate it."

"Yeah, so, can we get to our battle, then?" Talking with Roxanne was an odd experience, let me tell you. She seemed kind enough when not teaching, but she also always maintained this aura that she judged your every move.

"I'm afraid not." I almost let my jaw drop.

"What? Why not?"

"It's late, Star, go home. We'll have our match tomorrow morning. I'll see you then." Roxanne packed away a few papers into a briefcase before she got up and left the classroom. I just stood there, frozen over her desk staring at an empty chair. I sat through an entire day of lectures intended for kids looking to become trainers, and she just blew me off.

Once I had recomposed myself, I made a mental note to add Roxanne to the growing list of negative points about the Hoenn region. Everything here just felt hostile, or perhaps it was just me. Either way, I picked up my stuff at the front desk and went to the Pokemon Center for the night. I had almost forgotten I still had my new Pokenav to fiddle with, and if possible I wanted to call Mom and let her know I was okay. Something I didn't quite get around to.

~o~

"You're late, Star. Very late." This was Roxanne's greeting the following morning when I walked into the classroom. Since I didn't know Roxanne was still going to be treating me like one of her students, I didn't make an honest effort to get up early that morning.

"I'm... sorry?" A couple of the students in her class started giggling.

"I can only hope you are. Well? Take your seat." I nodded my head, and started for the chair at the end of the middle row. However, halfway there, I stopped, turned around, and faced Roxanne directly. I wasn't her student, and I wasn't going to bend to her will anymore.

"No," I said, suddenly defiant. "I came here for a Pokemon battle. And that's what I intend to do!"

"I know that, Star. I only wanted to take make sure all my students understood their assignments before we went to the gym." Suddenly, I felt like I had just tripped in the middle of a crowded hallway and was the center of attention. Didn't help that I was actually standing in the center of the classroom.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I apologized, trying my hardest to hide the encroaching redness on my face. A few of the kids around me started to snicker, but Roxanne only had to hold that ruler of hers in her hand to remind them who was in charge. I hastened my step and took a seat, finally falling out of the spotlight.

Like Roxanne promised, she only went over the previous day's assignment for a few minutes before she instructed the class towards the gym. I went to follow them, when Roxanne held me back to have a word with me. Once the last of the kids was gone, she took a seat behind her desk.

"Let me apologize for my attitude yesterday, I must admit I was rather agitated once you broke into my class. I realize I was pretty harsh on you when you were just here for a challenge." I was actually amazed she was apologizing. Far as I was concerned, it was just another day in my odd life.

"Oh, it's okay! I'm sorry I snapped at you a little while ago, too. Just get a bit angry when everyone starts to just walk over me like I'm nothing." And I seemed to get that a lot, from both enemies and allies.

"Good! Now, follow me. Our gym match awaits."

Let me state for the record, that when I got out on that arena, I expected a gym battle like any other I'd experienced in the past. My critters against hers, best of two, three, maybe four. However, Roxanne seemed to have something else in mind, no doubt doubling as a spectacle for all the students of the school. Not only her own class, but dozens of other young trainers lined the bleachers around the plain arena. I only had Vulpix at my side, my other Pokemon still at the front desk. How would this battle play out? One on one?

"Welcome, students. Today, you'll get the opportunity to see a seasoned trainer in battle. Not only will she battle with her own Pokemon, but she'll show you the kind of quick thinking you'll need out there with a special challenge." Just what was she roping me into this time?

"Um, Roxanne? I thought we were going to have our battle?"

"We are, Star. But this is my gym, and I have the freedom of tossing up the rules a bit." And I personally hated when gym leaders abused their power to make it harder on the trainers.

"Okay, so what now?"

"We will have three separate battles, each one on one. For the first, we will each be given a Pokemon at random." At that moment, a faculty member walked up behind me with a tray of Pokeballs. I looked back at Roxanne, who picked one from a similar tray and held it out. I looked back at the tray at my side, counting ten Pokeballs. I picked the ball in the middle, hoping it'd be my lucky charm.

Roxanne released her random critter, which turned out to be a Wartortle. I released my own critter, which turned out to be a small blue critter with orange cheeks. Figuring it was a native of Hoenn, I instinctively reached for my Pokedex, only to remember it was in my bag. I sheepishly raised my hand.

"Roxanne? I don't know what kind of Pokemon this is."

"It's a Mudkip, a water and ground type. I only know my Pokemon is a Wartortle, but I've never actually used a water type Pokemon before. This battle is a measure of how well you can think on your toes, Star. Let's see what we're both capable of!"

Well, that was certainly one way to start a battle. Before I could even consider what to do with this strange new Pokemon, Roxanne ordered her Wartortle to use Water Gun. In order to buy myself some time, I told Mudkip to do the same. As the two water types tried to drown one another, I sat down on the ground to help me think. Despite Roxanne not ever having battled with a Wartortle, she was still more prepared than I was, having come up with this challenge.

"Wartortle, Tackle!" Her command snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Mudkip-" I started, unsure how to proceed for a second. Then it hit me: "Use Dig!"

Mudkip heard me loud and clear, and quickly started clawing his way into the ground. Wartortle stopped short, knowing that at any moment, Mudkip would shoot out of the ground to attack.

"Wartortle, use Withdraw to defend yourself!"

The winged turtle vanished into his shell, effectively nullifying any damage Mudkip could hope to inflict. However, that same move gave me the brilliant idea for victory.

"Mudkip, dig another hole right under Wartortle!"

After a moment of silence, the small blue critter emerged from underneath Wartortle's shell, pushing it aside without actually attacking. Time was of the essence.

"Now, push him into the hole and close it up!"

"Wartortle, use Water Gun, now!"

Roxanne had caught wind of my plan just seconds too late. Mudkip kicked Wartortle's shell into the hole, and quickly scurried about to seal the exit with dirt. I noticed from afar that Wartortle was trying his best to break free, but Mudkip had done an excellent job of packing in the dirt. The ground started to look wet, then a few sprays of water started seeping through the weakening earth. After a moment, Wartortle emerged from the ground.

"Mudkip, Tackle!"

Wartortle managed to turn just in time to see Mudkip's head ram into his face. It was a painful sight, but it was just enough to knock Wartortle out for good. The blue turtle keeled over, completely out of it. The students around us started clapping, which caught me by surprise, to be honest. I had almost forgotten we were being watched.

"Congratulations, Star! I certainly didn't expect such masterful skills for an impromptu battle." Roxanne returned Wartortle to his Pokeball, and I did the same to Mudkip. Once the Pokemon were taken away, another member of the faculty brought me my bag and Pokeballs.

"For our next match, I want you to pick a Pokemon that has a type advantage over mine," Roxanne said, releasing the Pokemon in question. It was a large rocky critter, his four hands waving at me. A Graveler.

"Really? Are you sure?"

"I am. This is all part of the challenge, so please do so, if you possess such a Pokemon." I shrugged, not sure what she was getting at. I chose Vaporeon for this battle, certain he'd be able to take out the rock type with a single blow. Just what Roxanne was trying to demonstrate to the class, or myself, was way over my head.

"Now, class," she addressed the students on the bleachers. "You will see that type advantages do not always guarantee a victory."

"Vaporeon, Bubblebeam!"

"Graveler, Defense Curl!"

I didn't know if Roxanne's Graveler had the strength to withstand Vaporeon's attack, but I was about to find out. The cloud of glowing bubbles crashed into Graveler, who warded the majority of them with his four arms somehow. Any other rocky type would've been left wiped out, but Graveler was still going strong.

"Graveler, counter with Rock Throw!"

"Vaporeon, Quick Attack!"

Normally, Vaporeon would've been able to outrun the move, but it seemed Roxanne had drilled this sequence into her Pokemon. She didn't even have to finish her command before Graveler was scooping up fragments of rock from the ground and hurling them at Vaporeon. He tried to dodge them, but several crashed into his body, knocking him off his feet and sending him crashing back towards me. Ignoring the usual rules of having trainers out on the field, I ran to Vaporeon to make sure he was alright.

"And there you have it, class. On paper, Vaporeon should've come out on top; yet it was Graveler who won. Can anyone explain why?"

I ignored Roxanne's lecture as I tended to Vaporeon. He was hurt pretty bad, but with some rest and a visit to the Pokemon Center, he'd be back to normal. Once he was safely back in his Pokeball, I looked over to Roxanne, who was wrapping up her lecture. It was about time someone schooled her on unlikely odds.

"Well, Star, the final match is upon us. Please choose your Pokemon to face mine: Nosepass!" Roxanne released another critter, a small rock type with a strangely large nose. Ever curious, I pulled out my Pokedex and scanned the rocky monster.

"Nosepass, the Compass Pokemon. Its magnetic nose consistently faces north. Travelers check Nosepass to get their bearings."

"Feel free to use another water type, if you think it will help you win." It almost felt like Roxanne was trying to trick me into a similar trap. However, I already had my own strategy lined up to throw her off balance for once.

"Vulpix, you're up." As soon as my little fox stepped out onto the field, the students all gasped in unison. A fire type going up against a rock seemed almost taboo.

"Are you sure, Star? I won't be going easy-"

"I'm sure. Let's start this battle," I said, cutting her off. Even if the first match had been honestly random, and despite my victory, she had been pulling my strings since I first arrived at the school. I wasn't going to let her have her way anymore.

"Very well. Nosepass, Rock Throw!"

"Vulpix, dodge the attack!"

Despite being a bit confused by my order, Vulpix deftly avoided each of the rocks Nosepass launched in her direction. The big nosed critter wasn't very fast, so I could easily outrun it and win by speed. I think that's exactly what Roxanne was counting on, judging by the same look of confusion on her face that Vulpix had. Neither had any idea where I was going with this match.

"Nosepass, Rock Slide!"

"Vulpix, watch out, but don't attack!"

Nosepass started stomping about, causing larger rocks and boulders to bounce into the air around him. Spinning around in place, he lobbed them towards Vulpix, but the rocks still came at surprisingly slow speeds, making it just as easy for Vulpix to evade each and every rock. The entire time, I was just observing Roxanne's reactions. I had expected her to keep her cool for a while, but she was already starting to look annoyed.

"Nosepass, Thunder Wave!"

"Vulpix, Quick Attack!"

To be honest, that move really caught me by surprise. Fortunately, Vulpix vanished out of sight just in time to avoid it, but it had thrown my plans out of order. After a moment, Vulpix reappeared at Nosepass's side, slamming into him as hard as she could, but barely making him flinch.

"Nosepass, Stone Edge!"

Nosepass stomped the ground just once, causing a stalagmite to emerge underneath Vulpix and launch her into the air. Everything would come down to this next command being successful.

"Nosepass, Smack Down!"

"Vulpix, Confuse Ray!"

Vulpix righted herself in midair, locking eyes with Nosepass during her descent. Nosepass produced a boulder in one hand, hoping to go through with his attack. However, now confused by Vulpix, he hurled the rock into the air clumsily, having it land right on his own head instead. The damage was negligible, but with Nosepass confused, it was my chance to turn the tables.

"Vulpix, use Will-O-Wisp!"

Her eyes flashed for a split second as Vulpix blasted the confused critter with a few white-hot flames. No matter the ineffectiveness of fire on rock types, there was no means to stop the flames from charring the Pokemon black, burning him intensely. Vulpix couldn't win this match in a straight fight, but she could by wearing him down.

"Nosepass, snap out of it and use Zap Cannon!"

Nosepass tried to aim at Vulpix, but instead pointed his nose just slightly to the right, launching a devastating electrical burst at the wall of all places.

"Vulpix, Fire Spin!"

Vulpix charged Nosepass, jumping on top of the Pokemon to use him as a stepping stool to get even higher in the air. Her eyes flashed again as she turned back down to face Nosepass, and she opened her mouth to release a blanket of flames. The fires swirled around Nosepass, forming a massive spiral of heat and engulfed the rock type for several seconds. However, during the attack, Nosepass wandered out of the tornado, more or less unaffected by the attack. He still suffered some damage, but no where near as much as I'd have hoped. Vulpix finished the attack, landing back on the ground slightly tired.

"Nice show, but even the strongest fire attacks are no match for rock. Nosepass, aim carefully, and use Zap Cannon!"

I had only a moment to rethink my strategy. Vulpix's best fire ability wasn't any good, and she was already starting to slow down. I looked down at my Pokedex, scrambling through my memories for some kind of trick to help me win. My attention turned back to the battle, where Vulpix just barely dodged the Zap Cannon, taking only a few residual shocks that would only slow her down more. Vulpix looked over at me, barking for new orders. Then it hit me, clear as day.

"Nosepass, Rock Slide! Let's end this!"

"Vulpix, charge at Nosepass and Roar!"

Putting her all into that last mad dash, Vulpix dodged the incoming boulders without issue, and within a few seconds was right in front of Nosepass. She took a deep breath, and released a mighty roar that would shame even an Arcanine. Despite Nosepass's weight, the Pokemon was sent rolling backwards, stopping itself just within the bounds of the arena.

"Quick Attack!" I screamed with all my might.

Vulpix flashed out of sight for only a second before ramming into Nosepass, and pushing him out of bounds for good this time. It was a cheap tactic, but if the rules were still the same, it was enough to win the battle. The students watching all gasped, unsure what would happen next. Roxanne looked as if that wouldn't be enough to end the match, making my heart race even faster. Vulpix was all out of energy as it was; if the battle went on, I'd lose for sure. It was a tense moment, until one of the students raised his hand from the bleachers.

"Yes, John?" Roxanne asked, taking her focus off the field for a second.

"Does this mean you lost, Miss Roxanne?"

"Well," she started, unsure how to answer.

"I thought you said when a Pokemon is out of bounds, they're disqualified," another student chipped in from a few rows behind the first kid. A few others joined in unison.

"True, but it is also up to the gym leader in question to adjust the rules according to his or her preference." I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Then why do the rules exist if you can change them whenever you want?" The sweet sound of logic from a little girl.

"You know..." Roxanne started, as if to try and counter his argument. "You're absolutely right, Mary. And, it wouldn't be fair to Star and Vulpix, who both worked hard and against the odds to win this match."

"So, that means I won?" I asked from my side of the arena. Roxanne simply nodded from her end.

"John, if you'd do us the honor?" She held out her palm to the boy who first raised the question. The boy stood up and raised his right hand.

"The winner is Vulpix!" A loud cheer rose from the rest of the class, which almost brought a tear to my eye. Instead, I fell on my knees. The suspense of it all finally being too much.

~o~

"Congratulations, Star. For your excellence in both academics and practical application, I am proud to award you the Stonebadge." Roxanne handed me the small gray trinket, which I took gladly in my hands. I had worked hard for badges in the past, but this one felt like the most well-earned of them all.

"Thanks," I said, snapping it onto one of the empty slots on my trainer card.

"I have to be honest, I didn't think you could actually pull it off. Not with Vulpix, at least."

"You know, for a second there, I didn't think my plan would work. I chose Vulpix just to get back you for the second match, to show that it works both ways."

"And show me you did. Pokemon battling isn't all about type advantages and exploitations. A properly trained Pokemon can overcome any obstacle. I take it you've trained your Vulpix for a long time?" Roxanne reached down to pet Vulpix, who was still very friendly with the young lady despite the recent skirmish.

"She was my first Pokemon, and my bestest friend in the whole world! Right, girl?" A cheerful bark was the ideal answer from Vulpix.

"I'm happy for you both. So, Star, where are you off to now?"

"I don't know yet," I said, looking to my Pokenav for ideas. "I usually go around looking for the next gym as my checkpoints. Can you tell me if there's a gym in Verdanturf Town?"

"There isn't, actually. But there is one in Mauville City, just past the town. And another in Lavaridge Town, at the foot of Mt Chimney in the north. However, there's a pretty nasty desert on Route 111, between Lavaridge and Mauville. You might want to consider going north from here, past Meteor Falls to Fallarbor Town, and then just a bit south to Lavaridge. It takes a bit more time, but you get a great scenic tour of Hoenn's famous northern routes!"

"Okay, so just to make sure I got this: north to Fallarbor, then to Lavaridge, then south through the desert to Mauville? How is that any better than just going to Mauville first?" Seemed like one long detour just to avoid a desert I'd have to cross anyway.

"Lavaridge has a special chairlift that takes you over the mountainside to just outside Mauville. You could just go past Verdanturf, but you'd be missing out on all that scenery in the north! That is, if you like that kind of stuff."

"Well, I guess there's no harm in taking the long way around. Not like I'm in a rush or anything." Plus, I had heard back when I still lived in Pallet Town that many fruits and veggies came from northern Hoenn. Fallarbor could be where they were talking about.

"If you are going that way, be sure to stock up on camping supplies. It's at least a few days to Fallarbor Town through Meteor Falls, so you wouldn't want to be caught unprepared."

"Thanks for the help, Roxanne! I hope we see each other again soon!"

"Maybe we will," she added in, just as I was leaving. "There's a big Pokemon Trainer event going on in Ever Grande City later this year. For just this once, they'll be letting in all sorts of trainers into the Pokemon League building I heard, without the need to have collected all the badges!"

"Really? Then maybe I'll go, as well!" I had long since decided against ever entering the League Tournament, but the chance to meet up with all sorts of trainers from all over Hoenn and the world? How could I pass up such a chance?

"Then here, take this." Roxanne sifted through her desk for a pamphlet of Ever Grande City, which was announcing the event. She quickly jotted down some notes and a signature on it before handing it to me.

"What's this for?"

"Special permissions. Show this to the guys at Ever Grande, when you get there, and they'll let you in as my special guest. No questions asked!"

"Wow, thanks, Roxanne!" She smiled at me, the first true smile I had seen on her face since meeting her.

Once I had said my good byes, I left the school grounds and started for the Pokemon Center. Despite the rocky start, no pun intended, we had certainly ended on the right terms. It just felt like there was always one gym leader per region that I got along with. I hadn't met the others of Hoenn yet, but I was already pretty happy with having Roxanne as a friend in the region.


	53. Mission in the Forest

Mission in the Forest, Chapter 53

Although I had managed to finish the battle with Roxanne early, I chose not to depart for Meteor Falls that same day. After all, what was the rush? Roxanne had mentioned how traversing that place would take a couple days of hiking, so an early start the next morning would be best. I could take the rest of today shopping for the necessary camping gear and provisions with Vulpix, and afterwards take in the sights of Rustboro. I'm sure there was more to see in the city than just the school.

I stopped by the market and got right to shopping. To my surprise, Vulpix reminded me about the Pokeballs, so I picked up a few of those. A couple disposable tents, food for the road, and I was off to pay for everything. Roxanne's payoff for the match was a nice sum, so everything I needed could be afforded. The last thing I wanted to do was call Mom and ask her for more money. I had spoken with her the night before and told her I was doing fine financially. I wasn't about to turn that into a lie.

On my way to the register, I noticed a girl with brown hair sitting down on a lawn chair in the outdoor goods section of the shop. Whenever I used to go shopping with Mom in Viridian City, I'd do the same. However, this girl looked quite sickly and sad, so I stopped by her side to talk to her.

"Hello! Are you alright?" The girl looked up at me with her tired, droopy eyes.

"I'm just tired," she mumbled. "And sick."

"Do you want me to call someone? Do you need a doctor?" I asked her, readying my Pokenav.

"No, it's okay," she said, letting her gaze drift elsewhere. "I've been sick for as long as I can remember."

"Oh...? Is that so?"

She nodded, and went silent. I never knew anyone who had been sick for so long, so I didn't even know where to go from there. The girl didn't seem to mind my company, or care either way. As I wracked my brain for something more to say, I remembered I hadn't introduced myself.

"I'm Star, by the way. What's your name?"

"Walda." She answered without even looking up at me.

"That's a nice name," I said. Walda? Was it supposed to be a funny spin on the name 'Wanda'? That's when it hit me.

"Hey! Want to hear a joke?" Walda looked up at me from her chair.

"What kind of joke?"

"What's a Meowth's favorite day of the week?" Walda thought on it for a few seconds.

"Monday?"

"No. Pay Day!"

There was a silence between us for a moment. Afterwards, only I was the one trying to contain a giggle.

"That wasn't a very good joke," Walda said bluntly.

"Well, let me try again! Ummm..." I tried to think of another one on the spot. I snapped my fingers after a moment.

"Here's one! When do you take your Pokemon to the doctor?"

"When it's sick?" Walda guessed.

"No, when it's Koffing!" Walda remained silent. "Get it? Koffing?"

"You're terrible at this," she said. Suddenly I felt a blush on my cheeks.

"Yeah, well, I was just trying to help," I said, eager to get away from her. Not that it would very hard; all I had to do was walk away. Not like she was healthy enough to follow me.

"I'm sorry." I said right away.

"For what?"

"That was rude," I said, before I realized I had only thought the part of her health, not spoken it. Walda was visibly confused.

"You're strange."

"Yeah, well, you know what a Growlithe says when angry?"

"What?"

"Bite me."

I turned around to leave, when I heard Walda giggle. I spun around, and saw her smiling. Had that last ditch effort actually worked?

"Thank you, Star. That was actually a bit funny." Walda got up from the chair and made for the exit.

"Where are you going?"

"Home. I think I've wasted enough time moping here."

I wasn't exactly sure what was the point of all that, but all the same I said goodbye to the strange, sickly girl. I'd like to think my stupid joke of an attempt to cheer her up helped in some way, but I couldn't be certain. I had always heard that laughter is the best medicine, so that's why I tried it.

But the best part of it all? I felt genuinely proud of myself all the same for helping Walda. Making her feel better felt like an accomplishment on my part.

~o~

Later that day, as I was lounging about the Pokemon Center, I was paid a visit by none other than Roxanne. When she finally found me on the second floor, she looked as if she had been running all over the city looking for me. I'd later learn that wasn't far from the truth, though it wasn't just me she was looking for.

"What's wrong?" I asked her once she ran up to me.

"Star, are you busy?"

"Not right now," I said, pointing to the couch where I was sitting.

"Then can you help me? I've been looking for more Pokemon Trainers, but can't seem to find any."

Roxanne went on to explain the situation. Remember that Aggron that was stomping around Petalburg Woods while I was there? Turns out that same Pokemon was causing all sorts of trouble not only in the forest, but also closer and closer to the city. The Rustboro Police asked Roxanne to look into the matter, and thus she was looking for any Pokemon Trainers willing to lend aid. After all, the woods were pretty big, and she wouldn't be able to cover all that ground on her own.

All I had to do was remember what happened to the one Pokemon that was unfortunate enough be crushed underneath the Aggron's foot. Fear alone of that happening to Vulpix or any other of my Pokemon was enough to get me to say no. But I wanted to help Roxanne; not just for her sake, but for the rest of the city.

"I'll help!" I replied after she finished explaining.

"Thank you! Now, let's get moving!" She grabbed my hand and started dragging me out of the center.

"Wait, already? Just us two?"

"I have a few of the other instructors from the school waiting at the edge of the city. They're good Pokemon Trainers in their own right, but none of them probably match our skill in battle." Guess Roxanne just wanted a little insurance policy. Not that I'd complain, since going back to Petalburg Woods would give me the chance to capture a certain bug Pokemon I wanted the first time I was there.

So we reached the edge of Rustboro, and joined up with about half a dozen other people. All of them were adults, teachers of the school. In a way, I found it a bit funny that they were all taking orders from Roxanne, a teenager practically half their size and ages, probably. Still, that was the way of things. Didn't matter how old you were, just how experienced with Pokemon you were. Out of everyone there that afternoon, I was probably the most qualified to lead this little operation.

"So here's the plan," Roxanne said after deliberating for a moment with the other teachers. "Star and I will explore the northwestern region; the Aggron was last spotted there. You guys start with the northeast, and work your way south. Split up along the way to cover more ground."

The others all nodded, and made for their part of the woods. Once Roxanne and I were alone, she released a Graveler from its Pokeball. Probably the same once I fought during our match.

"You still have that Vaporeon of yours, right?" I nodded.

"Yeah, and I also have a Wingull."

"Might want to have them ready. Aggron will be a tough battle. We don't have to faint it outright, just do enough damage to send it packing back to the mountains. I'll hold it off with Graveler while you attack it with everything you got."

So with that, we marched into the forest. We didn't stay together for long, as Roxanne soon ordered me to explore on my own so we could cover more ground. At first I didn't understand why this was necessary, given that Aggron was pretty large and difficult to miss. Didn't we just have to keep our ears open and run towards the heavy stomping?

"The Aggron would've stopped to rest for a while by now," Roxanne said. "That's why we haven't heard it stomping."

So now we were looking for a giant rock, so to speak. In such a heavily forested area, I was sure that wouldn't take long to spot. Because of that, I took a moment for myself as I went crawling through the tall grass in search of bug Pokemon. Actually, the entire time I was doing this, I wondered to myself why I didn't just dress up like the typical bug catcher with a straw hat and shorts, given my fascination with the type.

After a short while of looking around, I found a small nest of Wurmple and a couple other critters. Without alerting the critters to my presence, I pulled out my Pokedex and scanned them.

"Silcoon, the Cocoon Pokemon. Silcoon was thought to endure hunger and not consume anything before its evolution. However, it is now thought that this Pokemon slakes its thirst by drinking rainwater that collects on its silk." Before I could turn the device off, it started scanning again.

"Cascoon, the Cocoon Pokemon. If it is attacked, Cascoon remains motionless however badly it may be hurt. It does so because if it were to move, its body would be weak upon evolution. This Pokemon will also not forget the pain it endured."

"So there are two kinds of those Pokemon?" I looked over at the mass of critters, suddenly noticing the slight hue difference between the Silcoons and Cascoons. I punched a few buttons on the Pokedex, and noticed both critters were evolved from a Wurmple.

"So I could get either or, huh? Maybe I should catch two Wurmple and..." I shook my head. My line up was already a bit packed as it was, I didn't want to replace two of my Pokemon for another pair of bugs. Still, I wanted at least one Wurmple, so I prepared a Pokeball.

"Vulpix, Quick Attack!" I screamed, springing out of the tall grass.

Vulpix vanished from my side, and reappeared in the middle of all those Pokemon, causing Wurmple to fly through the air and even forcing one or two of the cocoon Pokemon to be forced off the tree they were attached to. I threw my Pokeball into the fray, and it caught a Wurmple that was still in midair. The rest of the critters scurried away in fear, while the Pokeball with my capture lay silent on the ground.

I picked up the Pokeball, and chose Ariados to be whisked away to the storage system. Once the forest had quieted down around me, I heard someone wading through the grass towards me. It was Roxanne.

"What happened, Star? I heard the commotion and thought you might've run into the Aggron!"

"Sorry, just a bunch of bug Pokemon that got in my way. No luck on your end, I guess?" Roxanne shook her head.

"Strangest thing, too. It shouldn't be this difficult to find a Pokemon that large. Maybe it's already moved on out of the woods?"

Of course, a statement like that is just begging to be proven utterly wrong on the spot. And so it was; I was to busy with catching my Wurmple earlier that I hadn't noticed the strange knoll just near the tree where all the bugs were a moment ago. The knoll stirred, and out came the Aggron, refreshed and energized from its slumber. I ran behind Roxanne, while she stepped forward to do her part.

"Graveler, use Tackle!"

Her Pokemon appeared from behind some trees, crashing into the Aggron at full charge. The larger rock type held its ground, now enraged at being challenged. I reached for both Vaporeon and Wingull's Pokeballs. Once they were both out, I joined the fray.

"Both of you use Water Gun!"

Vaporeon blasted the Aggron in the face with a torrent of water, while Wingull shot small bursts at it from the air. All the while, Graveler was doing its best to keep Aggron in place for the thrashing, despite taking heavy damage from the water himself. For a moment, it looked as though the Aggron would have no choice but to flee. That is, until it threw off the weakened Graveler, nearly crushing Roxanne in the process.

"Vaporeon, use Aurora Beam! Wingull, keep up the Water Gun!"

The combined attacks would be enough to completely freeze Aggron before it could go on a rampage. Since the Pokemon was already drenched, Vaporeon's ice attack started freezing the moisture, while Wingull's continued Water Gun helped keep it frozen. The Aggron roared and forced its way out of layer after layer of ice.

"Roxanne, I need some help here!" I called out to her.

"Let it go!" She screamed at me.

I didn't know what she was getting at, but I told both my Pokemon to stop their attacks and get out of the way. Once the Aggron had broken out of the ice, it charged past all of us, and headed east. As the stomping grew faint, Roxanne finally spoke.

"Good work, Star." I looked at her, confused.

"What do you mean? It got away!"

"It went back to the mountains in the east. In case you didn't notice, I had Graveler twist its body around in place. I knew it would only be a matter of time before it broke free, so I made sure it would charge towards the mountains instead of the city."

"Are you sure it would go all the way? What if it turned north?"

"With the amount of damage it took from your Pokemon? Not likely. It'll head back to its old stomping grounds to rest up. I doubt it'll come back down to the forest again."

And whether or not it did, it wouldn't be my concern anymore. By the time we got back to the city, it was already night, and I was dead tired. The trip hadn't been a waste, though. I got the Pokemon I wanted, after all. I just had to make sure everything was fine for my departure the next morning, and to get plenty of rest that night.


	54. Weathering a Castform

Weathering a Castform, Chapter 54

"Tomorrow, expect clear skies and cold winds on the western coasts of Hoenn. Temperatures will be at 21 degrees celsius, going as low as 13 due to wind chill."

If the weatherman was to be believed, it would be a beautiful day for adventuring tomorrow. I've always heard the saying 'since when can the weatherman predict the weather?', which always kinda threw me off. Wasn't it his job to tell everyone what kind of weather to expect? What could he gain from lying? Somehow, I felt the entire meaning of the saying was somehow going over my head.

The night before I departed, I was staying at the Pokemon Center, as usual. It must've been past midnight that night when I got up from my bed and went outside. Vulpix was sound asleep, so I didn't bother to wake her up for nothing. I hadn't had a restless night like that in a long time. The streets of Rustboro were surprisingly silent and still, considering the sheer size of the city. I wasn't planning on wandering far from the center, but before I knew it, my feet were taking me half way across the city.

My heart was beating much faster than normal; anxiety, I thought. But what was I anxious about? The trip, or something else? After letting my feet drag me along for a little while, I forced myself to stop. I had ended up near the school, naturally locked up tight at this hour. Still, the front lawn, where some chairs and swings for younger kids were situated, was still open to me. I skipped along to one of the swings, and took a seat. I let myself swing back and forth for a little bit, trying to shake off my anxiety. My thoughts started to wander back home, to Mom and Deneb. Perhaps I was just feeling a bit homesick.

"What would Mom say?" I whispered to myself in the dark. I giggled before I answered myself. "She'd probably chew me out for not calling sooner. 'You never call', or something."

Just thinking about Mom seemed to lift my spirit a bit, but the anxiety was still there. My thoughts turned to Deneb, and the first memory that came up was of that kiss in Viridian City. I admit, I sort of blushed at the memory, despite not actually being embarrassed by it in any way. I just wished I could talk to Deneb again, face to face.

At that moment, I felt something rub up against my leg. I shrieked a bit and tried to back away, forgetting that I was on the swing, so I fell off it on my back. It turned out to be Vulpix, who had followed me all the way here. She licked my face as an apology, and helped me to my feet.

"Don't do that! Scared me." Vulpix just tilted her head slightly as we looked at each other. I couldn't help but smile at her, and I gave her a hug in the darkness.

"Come on, girl. Let's get some sleep." I led Vulpix away from the swing first, then let her lead me back to the center. As I walked back, that anxiety which had kept me up all this time vanished into the night. I let out a large yawn just as I went back inside the center.

~o~

The weatherman cannot predict the weather if his life depended on it.

That was pretty much the extent of my thoughts the next morning, shortly after departing from Rustboro City. It was a beautiful morning, I woke up energized despite the fewer hours of sleep, and I decided to leave the city on bike to gain some distance. Not long after setting out, I noticed some rainclouds forming over the mountainside. What surprised me even more was the speed at which those clouds spread over all of Route 115.

The rain started pretty quickly, too, not even giving me a chance to find some cover. I know it sounds like I'll I'm doing is complaining at this point, but Route 115 doesn't have any form of cover to hide from the rain! Trees were so plentiful elsewhere in Hoenn, yet now that I needed them, only the dried out, leafless ones remained here. To spare you from any further complaints, I did manage to find some cover from the rain, under a strange rock formation by the mountainside. Of course, by that point I was already soaked.

"You okay, Vulpix?" I helped her out of the basket on the bike and put her on the ground next to me. As a response, she shook her body violently, spraying me with all that rainwater as she dried herself off relatively well.

"Thanks a lot, girl," I commented. The rain was still coming down hard, and the skies had darkened pretty much entirely. It felt more like the late afternoon, which scared me a little. Such strange weather, this close to the winter months? Regardless, I had another matter to concern myself over: my clothes. Mom always said staying in wet clothes was the fastest way to a cold, and being so cold today, especially with the wind, wasn't helping my case. I'd be lucky to get out of there with just a cold.

I looked through my bag, hoping something inside it remained dry. My luck would have it, everything was soaked, right down to my new towel. I had bought one just for this little trip, and it wouldn't be drying me off much anymore. I felt my body start to shiver, so I turned back to Vulpix.

"Vulpix, could you make a fire here? I'm f-f-freezing." It didn't take me more than a second after asking Vulpix that I realized she couldn't do that. There was no safe place to start a fire, and I didn't have anything to burn. I was stuck soaking wet in the cold.

I wrapped myself up in the towel and tried my best to stay as warm as possible, hoping the storm would pass. Vulpix pitched in every few minutes with a small burst of flames, heating the air around me. She couldn't keep this up for long, but every little bit helped to fight off the death I could feel creeping around me. That is, until Nancy arrived to bail me out of this problem.

About an hour after I went into hiding, someone in a yellow raincoat and umbrella, redundant though it was, walked by the rock formation I was under. She noticed I was there, and ran over, revealing her face once she was out of the rain. There wasn't much space to work with, but that'd soon change.

"Who are you?" I had asked, fearful it might've been an obnoxious Pokemon Trainer.

"I'm Nancy," the girl answered, showing me her face underneath the raincoat. "Are you alright? You look a bit sick."

"I was caught in the rain, and everything I have is wet." By this point, my nose was runny, and I let out a loud sneeze just after answering her.

"Oh god, let me help you out!"

Nancy released a Pokemon, a blue and green critter with a leaf on its head. Unsure what a Pokemon that wasn't a fire type could do, I watched intently as the Pokemon somehow opened a hole in the mountainside wall with a move called Secret Power. Nancy helped me to my feet, covered me with her umbrella as best she could, and led me into the newly formed cavern.

I didn't deserve the amount of kindness she provided. Aside from getting me out of the rain, she had her Pokemon, a Lombre I'd later scan to find out, gather tinder from around the area to make a fire. She let me borrow her dry sleeping bag and a change of clothes, all so I could warm my body and try to prevent the cold from getting any worse. And she did this all without saying more than a few words that weren't orders.

"Nancy, thank you for everything," I finally ended up saying. With the fire inside the cave going strong, I could safely say I was starting to sweat a little rather than shiver.

"No trouble at all!" She was now in the process of laying out my clothes by the fire so they could dry properly. "I can tell by your dresses here that you didn't come prepared for this storm, huh?"

"Weatherman lied to me," I said, coughing a bit in between. "He said clear skies all around."

"Truth is, this storm has been pestering Meteor Falls for two days now. The people up in Fallarbor Town thought it was strange, a storm only over one tiny part for so long, but they didn't want to see why. I was traveling in this direction from Lavaridge, so I went looking myself."

"And? What did you find?"

"Team Magma. There's a whole bunch of them all over Meteor Falls, working a bunch of computers right there in the caverns. I couldn't hope to take them all on myself, so I snuck by them by taking a different tunnel. I don't know how, but they were making that storm with those machines."

"That doesn't make any sense," I said. "Team Magma is looking for Groudon. What are they trying to do by controlling the weather?"

"Well, I don't know, and I really don't want to, either. If you go that way, be sure to avoid them, as well. If I don't have to take you back to Rustboro's hospital, that is." I couldn't blame Nancy for being worried. At this point, I had a cold, a nasty one too, but the last thing I wanted was to be forced back to the city and into a hospital bed for a few days. Plus, if Mom found out I was sick, she'd fly to my bedside in a heartbeat and drag me back home. I swear, that was my biggest driving force behind staying safe and healthy.

"I'll be okay, thanks to your help. Just need to rest a bit more, is all." And by rest, I meant sleep until the next day.

A little while after that conversation, Nancy prepared some soup with what little ingredients she had left from her own hike. It wasn't the best tasting, not counting for my eternal dislike of soups, but it did seem to prove the theory that soup kills colds. After that, I dozed off for good, and didn't wake until the very next morning.

~o~

"Good morning, Star. I hope you don't mind, but I took some food from your bag to make breakfast." This was Nancy's greeting the following day, followed by a simple yet surprisingly delicious meal. I was feeling much better that morning, but I could still feel the cold in my throat, as well as an overall sense of fatigue.

"It's no problem, especially after everything you did for me yesterday. I owe you so much!"

"Please, I couldn't just leave you there! And on that note, the rain isn't letting up."

I couldn't believe her at first, so I had to look for myself out the cavern entrance. Indeed, it was still raining, though considerably lighter today. If Team Magma was behind this storm, how were they making it happen?

"Well, I can't just sit here and wait for it to stop raining," I said, determined to press onward in my journey. "I'm moving on, whether or not it stops raining by midday."

"You shouldn't do that! You're still a bit sick, and if you continue to get wet, you'll just make yourself worse." She had a point.

"But I can't just sit here and wait! If Team Magma is behind this, then I'll have to stop them! I've dealt with Team Rocket in the past, I'm sure they're no different!"

"Well, Star, it's your decision. You can have my umbrella, if it helps. I'll be fine with my raincoat, but I would like my sleeping bag and clothes back."

It took me a second or two to register what she had just asked for. I looked down, quickly remembering she had lent me some of her clothes the day before. I giggled a bit before I was forced to remove them and hand them back.

~o~

Because of the rain, I didn't get to travel very far that day. Route 115 was actually pretty long, and made longer by the slow pace I was forced to move at without the use of my bike. The rain continued all day long, but at least it wasn't pouring anymore, and Nancy's umbrella kept me practically dry the entire way. I ended up stashing some money in the outfit she lent me to pay for it, and not abuse her good faith. At the risk of getting a bit wet, I ran a small ways in the afternoon, gaining enough ground that I was able to camp inside Meteor Falls that night instead of outside.

Well, I say camp, but I didn't exactly get any sleep that night. As I was about to set up camp, Vulpix started barking at something deeper within the cave. Fearful that it was Team Magma, I grabbed hold of two Pokeballs and prepared myself for battle. At first, only a few Zubat flew over my head; Pokemon which I had seen so many of in my time as a trainer that their sight no longer made any impact on me other than mild annoyance. Still, Vulpix continued to bark at something deeper still, so I decided to investigate.

Meteor Falls, if travel agents of Rustboro City were to be believed, was the sight of a meteor crash many years ago. It created a large chasm in the otherwise mundane cave, exposing it to the elements. It was also the sight of a Pokemon discovery; two in fact, believed to have come from outer space! Many trainers have tried to catch these Pokemon, but so far none have been successful. I was fortunate enough to be able to identify one of them that night with my Pokedex.

Vulpix's nose was sharp as ever, and the thing she was tracking down was one of the extraterrestrial critters in question. It looked like an actual moon, its bright red eyes staring me down at a distance. It did not seem to like being disturbed, and Vulpix wouldn't stop barking at it. I pulled her back by one of her tails, telling her not to anger the Pokemon. It kept a close watch on me as I produced my Pokedex to scan it.

"Lunatone, the Meteorite Pokemon. Its health ebbs and flows with the lunar cycle. It brims with power when exposed to the light of the full moon."

"I heard something over here!" A voice echoed from beyond Lunatone's position.

The gray Pokemon instantly teleported to safety, leaving me exposed in that tunnel to whoever was coming. I scooped up Vulpix in my arms and ran behind a rock, hoping the darkness would conceal me from the men. They approached a few seconds later, and from my hiding place I could just barely make out the red uniforms. They were Team Magma members, of course.

"Strange, I swore I heard something," one of them said, looking around the area with a flashlight.

"That blasted moon Pokemon has given us the slip each time we go looking for it at night. Maybe we should just try and catch it during the day, like we caught the sun at night."

"You already forget? I think the moon knows we want to capture it like we did its friend. We should just tell the boss it left the cave, and we don't have to stay up all night anymore!"

"I'm starting to agree with you on that. Let's head back, don't want it to sneak up on me like it did Joe."

The two grunts turned around and went back down the tunnel they came. Once I was sure they were gone, I let out a huge sigh before looking at Vulpix directly. They had captured the sun Pokemon, most likely Lunatone's companion. At first, this wasn't adding up for me. What good were these Pokemon going to do for Team Magma's goals? Curiosity wouldn't let me forget it, so I followed the grunts down the tunnel. What I didn't know at the time was that Lunatone was following close behind.

After a short hike through the tunnels, we came upon the chasm mentioned by the locals. In the heart of it all was a giant opening, the sky covered in clouds and still raining, albeit softly now. In the slightly better light of the area, I saw the two grunts making their way through the rain into a tunnel on the far side of the chasm. I opened up the umbrella, still keeping watch over my fragile health even during espionage. After going through that tunnel, I came upon a cavern well lit by not only dozens of computer monitors, but normal lighting as well. It was Team Magma's base.

There were over a dozen grunts standing watch all around, and a few working diligently on some machine in the center of it all. It had two tubes, one containing a small gray mass, the other encased in metal so you couldn't see what was inside. I was betting on the sun Pokemon being in there.

"What were the results of the last diagnostic?" One of the grunts handed a clipboard over to a well-dressed gentleman amidst the others. He flipped through the documents for a second before being answered.

"The Pokemon is dying. We cannot continue to force its body in this manner for much longer. The Solrock remains perfectly sedated."

"Very well. This may be the conclusion of our tests here. I'll have Archie procure another Castform for use on Mt Chimney. In the meantime, prepare the Solrock for transport. It will prove to be a powerful tool for the next phase of our plan. You have your orders."

The man handed the clipboard back to the grunt and left via another tunnel behind the computers. A few of the grunts left with him, thinning out the numbers I'd have to deal with to stop them. I didn't know what they were planning on using those Pokemon for, but it was definitely not good, not to mention I still had to try and save that gray Pokemon in the glass tube. I was about to order Vulpix to rain down some Embers when Lunatone crashed into the cavern at full speed.

"It's the moon Pokemon! Get it!"

The grunts began releasing Pokemon and throwing Pokeballs into the air, while Lunatone's only goal was to break through the metal casing on the right tube. Taking advantage of the confusion, I ordered Vulpix to use Ember, while I released Wingull for another task. The small flames did enough to distract the grunts from focusing their attacks on Lunatone.

"Wingull, Peck the glass tube and free the Pokemon inside!"

Once Wingull was swooping down over the grunts, I was quickly spotted hiding out on the ledge above. A few of the grunts released their Poochyenas and Zubat to take me out. Vulpix stood fast, keeping the foes at bay with more Embers while I carefully managed both her and Wingull down below.

"Get the girl!" Someone in the crowd ordered.

"No, we must capture that Lunatone!" Another voice rang out.

"Protect the specimen!"

There was chaos amongst the grunts, which was only making it easier for me to ward off their attacks. The Lunatone was making steady progress on freeing his trapped companion, while Wingull was doing his best to face off against two Zubat without my input.

"Wingull, use Wing Attack! Knock them against the tube!"

The two opponents went in for the attack, but Wingull's longer wingspan allowed it to attack first, sending both crashing against the tube at the same time. The combined force cracked the glass, allowing Wingull to finally force it open with one more Peck attack. Meanwhile, Vulpix was going toe to toe with a Poochyena.

"Vulpix, just use Flamethrower!"

The sudden burst of flames sent the Poochyena running, while Wingull caught the trapped Pokemon on his back and was making his way up to me. Lunatone had also just broken through the metal casing, having used psychic powers and sheer force to break open that metal casing. Much as I wanted to stick around and see Lunatone's companion, I had to leave as soon as Wingull was back at my side. I carried the small gray Pokemon we had saved and ran back down the tunnel I came, Vulpix following last to guard the rear. The last thing I heard from the grunts was to ignore me and try to stop Lunatone.

After running for a little bit, as well as hiding out in another cave tunnel connecting to the chasm, I stopped to catch my breath. Luckily, not a single grunt had tried to catch me, effectively making the rescue operation a complete success! Wingull and Vulpix sat by my side, wondering just what kind of Pokemon I had in my arms. I put him down on the ground in front of me, and pulled out the Pokedex for a quick scan.

"Castform, the Weather Pokemon. Castform borrows the power of nature to transform itself into guises of the sun, rain clouds, and snow clouds. This Pokemon's feelings change with the weather."

"So that's why it was raining so much," I said, only just realizing it had stopped raining at last. "Team Magma was using this Pokemon to control the weather. They probably did something wrong and that's why it hadn't stopped for three days."

To my amazement, Castform didn't require more than a few minutes to recover. After it woke up, it looked around at myself, Vulpix and Wingull. I was expecting something of a warmer reception, but the small gray Pokemon sort of hissed at me before it flew off into the skies. I was a bit sad to see it go, but I couldn't exactly blame it either. It was being tortured by Team Magma for at least three days straight, if not for a much longer period of time.

What's more, the chance of some sleep was out of the question. If Lunatone had released his friend from Team Magma's clutches, they'd no doubt be scouring all of Meteor Falls to find them. I couldn't just start napping while the hunt was on. Instead, I picked up my things and started down the same tunnel I was in. One of these had to lead out towards Fallarbor Town and around Team Magma's camp. I only had all night to find the right tunnel.

~o~

Morning came without incident, thankfully. After getting lost a bit in those tunnels, I found one that led me out of Meteor Falls and up on top of the entire place. Because it was seemingly out of reach for Team Magma, I was free to take a short nap in the early hours of the morning. When I woke up, still a bit groggy, I was treated to a spectacular sight of the chasm of Meteor Falls in the dawn light. The entire place just seemed to glow golden, where it was silver in the moonlight the previous night. I wished I had a camera to snap a picture of it all to show Mom when I got back.

I didn't know what had happened to Lunatone and his friend. Because I never saw either again in my future run-ins with either team, I assumed they got away and left Meteor Falls for good. I myself still had at least two more days of hiking over the mountainside before I arrived at Fallarbor Town. For better or worse, little happened outside the occasional wild Pokemon encounter. Then again, anything would seem dull after the last couple days' events.


	55. A Battle Revolution

A Battle Revolution, Chapter 55

Thanks to a rather nasty encounter on my fourth day out on the road, I was able to gain a considerable distance and cut my journey short a whole night. Route 114, which connected the northern end of Meteor Falls and Fallarbor Town, was a beautifully scenic route. It had a small waterfall coming down the northern mountains, a pristine lake and plenty of strange vegetation all around the chocolate covered terrain. However, it was also home to unique Pokemon, two of which were trapped in an eternal war with each other. They were the Zangoose and Seviper.

I had the supreme fortune of not exactly running into either of these Pokemon directly. Normally, any trainer would take the chance to catch one, or at the very least scanning the critters with their Pokedex. I, on the other hand, had heard enough of these two in a report while I was in Rustboro to know to steer clear. As far as people in the Hoenn region could tell, their feud is as old as time, and the grassy areas of Route 114 is their primary battleground. As I took in the scenery, I could hear scuffles in the grass. At one point, a Seviper scurried out of the tall grass, desperate to escape a pair of Zangoose hot on its trail.

Now, I don't like snakey critters, such as Ekans or Arbok, so that's my excuse for not taking advantage of the opportunity to throw a Pokeball at the wounded Pokemon. And let me tell you, it wasn't easy to watch those Zangoose devour that poor Seviper almost in front of me. This was a side of Pokemon in the wild I hadn't experienced, and it scared me to the core. So much so that I hopped on my bike and decided to skip over the slow, scenic tour. The possibility that one of my Pokemon could end up like that Seviper was more than enough reason to get out of Route 114 as soon as possible.

So because of that, I was able to arrive on the outskirts of Fallarbor Town by nightfall. Like I remembered from the specials on TV, most of the town was just wide open field. Most of the fields were cleared, I'm guessing because it was already autumn, but there were still a few fields with tall stalks planted. In the center of town, the most recognized feature of any location stood: the Pokemon Center. However, I was pleasantly surprised by another building just beyond the center. Whatever it was, it was closed for the night, but in the dim light I could make out a symbol that resembled a Pokeball. For a moment, I thought it could be a brand new gym.

Inside the center, I left my Pokemon with Nurse Joy, and then asked her about the building outside.

"Is it a new gym?"

"Not at all," she answered, switching on the machine that would instantly revitalize my Pokemon. "It's called the Battle Tent. It's a new extension of the Battle Frontier Program situated in Ever Grande City. It was opened a few weeks ago, but honestly I haven't inquired much about it. The Battle Frontier Program is somewhat separate from the rest of the League, so we nurses aren't told all the specifics. And there haven't been many visitors, either."

"Yeah, I guess this town is a bit out of the way, huh?" The boonies, as one of my teachers back in Pallet Town would've said. She called Pallet Town that, as well.

"I guess so, but then again, you can get used to the peace and quiet. The only visitors I get are trainers just passing through town from Meteor Falls, or the odd human patient."

"Human? Is it because of the Zangoose on Route 114?" I guess my random thought of being attacked had happened.

"That's actually not as common as the news would have you believe. Actually, my most frequent patient is Professor Cozmo, a scientist that lives on the edge of town. He's usually getting himself hurt while exploring Meteor Falls." I remembered seeing a house out by the fields, so I guessed that was his.

"How about you? You also just passing through town?" Nurse Joy asked, eager to keep the conversation going.

"Well, after you said all that, I'd feel bad saying the same," I muttered, feeling a bit awkward. Nurse Joy giggled.

"Don't worry, I won't take offense. You look a bit younger than most of the trainers I see, though. How old are you?"

"I'm ten! I'll be eleven soon, but I'm not even sure what the date is." Keeping track of time wasn't exactly at the top of any trainer's agenda. Well, maybe for the obsessive ones.

"Today's September twenty-ninth," Nurse Joy answered, taking a quick look at her computer screen, "that help?"

"Yeah! Now I can register the day on my Pokenav..." I quickly went to tinker on the device, but before I could figure out how to adjust the date, Vulpix leapt onto me from behind the counter.

"Your Vulpix is all rested up! You don't see many of her around the Hoenn region."

"I heard they usually live around Route 7, back in Kanto. Mine is from there, I think, but I'm not sure..." My voice trailed off, as I became more focused on figuring out that infernal Pokenav. Nurse Joy noticed I was having trouble, and extended her hand, so I took off the Pokenav and gave it to her.

"I'll fix it for you. Vulpix from Hoenn live around Mt Pyre, but they aren't common. Local legends say they light the way for the dead at night." Nurse Joy pushed a few buttons on the device, and handed it back to me. I looked at the screen, seeing the date blinking back at me, time and all.

"Thanks! What do you mean light the way? What's at Mt Pyre?"

"It's a small island mountain on Route 122, way out on the other end of Hoenn. It's become a burial ground for deceased Pokemon, and the island is also a repository of Hoenn's oldest legends and myths. If you're ever in the area, you should pay your respects."

"Y-Yeah, sure thing," I stuttered. The last time I went to a Pokemon burial ground was in Lavender Town, and the ghost Pokemon there chased us out of the place. That memory brought to mind Gary Oak, whom I hadn't seen since that time I went to Indigo Plateau to see Deneb. I wonder how he was doing after all this?

"It's getting late, would you like me to set you up in one of the hospital beds for the night? I doubt anyone is going to come in with grave injuries, seeing as how Professor Cozmo is attending a conference in Mossdeep City."

"Thank you! I'd been camping out for a few days, so a bed would be great!"

~o~

The next morning, after a rather healthy breakfast of fresh fruits courtesy of the townsfolk, I marked the Battle Tent as my next destination. Unfortunately, Nurse Joy couldn't give me any more information about what the tent was for, but she did enlighten me a bit on the Battle Frontier Program after looking it up on her computer. It wasn't exactly situated in Ever Grande City, but just a ways south of it, on a large island converted for the program.

In short, the Battle Frontier was a sort of second Pokemon League exclusive to the Hoenn region. Anyone was allowed into the island to participate, provided they had a valid trainer card. Of course, having proved yourself with gym badges from the region or other regions earned you special bonuses while inside. Unlike the League, however, the Battle Frontier focused more on getting trainers to adapt to any and all situations when it came to battling Pokemon. Most of the events on the island were more than just standard Pokemon battles; from endurance matches to an event where Pokemon battle without commands from their trainer, only the greatest trainers came out on top. It was just the sort of place Deneb or Gary would've loved.

"Are you looking to sign up, kid?" The voice snapped me out of my daze. I looked up from the explanation sheet posted on the front desk, seeing eye to eye with the man behind it.

"Are there any special rules I need to know about first?" It seemed like a good question to ask, but the man still let out a loud sigh before reaching for a flyer.

"The Fallarbor Town Battle Tent is a test of a trainer's ability to strategically combat opponents using a limited amount of commands to achieve victory. If the opposing Pokemon is not defeated in the three commands allotted, the Pokemon's performance is judged based on three attributes: mind, skill and body. Any and all trainers are welcome to participate in this event at this location, and those possessing a trainer card are eligible to receive credit for their victories redeemable at the Battle Frontier in Ever Grande City. Do you understand?"

I had to replay his long winded reading a few times in my head, but I was sure I got it all down. He was reading with such enthusiasm, I was finding it hard to concentrate...

"Yes, sign me up!" Instead, he pushed a pen and clipboard into my hands.

"Please fill out this form with the appropriate information, and submit your trainer card with it when you're done." His job complete, the man returned to reading a comic book featuring a girl that strikingly resembled May from Littleroot Town. I looked over the application, spotting the usual fields like name, age, etc.

I took a seat by the desk and got right to work filling out the form. By this point, Vulpix was already sound asleep at my feet, seeing no wild Pokemon or anything remotely green in sight. The application looked like the standard fare, but at the same time it just went on and on. If everyone had to fill this out just to enter, I could see the place being virtually deserted by trainers. We're out here to adventure, not file papers. Once I was finally done filling it out, I turned in the clipboard to the man with my Hoenn trainer card. He turned to the computer screen and punched it all in at a fraction of the speed it took me to fill it out. Afterwards, he stamped my trainer card with a special logo matching the one on the exterior of the tent.

"Welcome to the Battle Frontier, Star. Please proceed through this door to await your next opponent."

"Thanks!" I answered as enthusiastically as I could, hoping my cheer would transfer to him. All he did was sigh again before returning to that comic book of his.

I called for Vulpix, who followed me behind the desk and through the door. On the other side was an arena much like any gym, complete with chairs on the far end with a few people sitting down. In the center of them all was a small table, an elderly woman sitting behind it. I walked over to her, unsure what I was supposed to do next.

"Excuse me, am I supposed to sit down here?"

"No, young lady, you're supposed to be out on the arena preparing for battle. I'll be calling up your opponent momentarily." By this point, I was used to getting the cold shoulder from people, so the woman's attitude didn't really faze me this time. As ordered, I walked back onto the arena, finding the small square labeled 'trainer' and standing within. Vulpix sat down in front of me, eagerly awaiting her challenger. After a few minutes of standing around, the woman ordered someone out to the arena. It was a boy, probably around fifteen years old.

"Wyatt, please choose a Pokemon to battle Star's Vulpix," instructed the woman from the table. How she learned my name without ever asking is a question for the ages, but what was on my mind was the fact she decided Vulpix was my choice for the fight.

"Excuse me, but I didn't-"

"Your Pokemon was on the field this entire time. You shouldn't travel with a Pokemon at your side if you don't want this sort of thing to happen, young lady. Wyatt, please decide in a timely manner." I couldn't believe the old bag, but I didn't want to get disqualified by complaining further. My lips sealed, I looked across to this Wyatt, who didn't take long to sift through his Pokeballs for the critter to release. It turned out to be a small gray Pokemon, most likely a rock type. I took out my Pokedex to scan the little bugger.

"Aron, the Iron Armor Pokemon-"

"Young lady! There are no devices of any kind allowed on the arena! Do you want to be kicked out of the competition right now!?" The woman's scream startled me so much, I nearly dropped the Pokedex on the floor. I quickly snapped it shut and stuffed it in my bag, feeling a few droplets of sweat forming on my forehead. A few of the trainers started snickering, including Wyatt.

"I-I'm sorry, I-"

"Didn't know, I'm guessing. Would you like me to explain how to participate in this event, or would you prefer to further make a mockery of yourself here?" I hung my head in shame, feeling my face getting hot. I quietly shook my head, not daring to make eye contact with the old woman.

"Very well. As per the rules, each trainer will get three, I repeat for our newcomer, three commands total. After that, I will judge each Pokemon based on the outcome of the match and determine the winner. Are we clear?" I nodded, as did Wyatt. The old woman raised her right hand, signaling the start of the match. To my dismay, I didn't get to see what type of Pokemon Aron was.

"Aron, use Headbutt!"

"Vulpix, Quick Attack!"

Despite being a small, almost heavy looking critter, Aron lurched forward at a blazing speed. However, Vulpix vanished from sight just before his attack struck, and she reappeared behind Aron, crashing into him and sending him forward a bit. After this, the old woman raised her hand, which had me a bit confused at first. Wyatt called for Aron to return to his side of the arena, so I quickly mimicked his action with Vulpix. After a moment, the woman raised her hand again.

"Aron, wait for the Metal Claw!"

"Vulpix, use Flamethrower!"

Vulpix stood her ground, blasting Aron with a flurry of flames. I didn't expect the attack to do much in the way of damage, but at least it'd keep Aron from attacking. Or so I thought; just as Vulpix finished her attack, Aron showed up right in front of her, and took a fast swipe at her with one of his stubby little arms. The blow struck dead on and hard, knocking Vulpix back a ways to my feet. Again, the woman raised her hand, and the Pokemon returned to their starting positions. That attack had done quite a number on Vulpix, but she was still standing tall. The hand went up again, signaling the final round.

"Vulpix, Tackle!"

"Aron, Roar!"

An unexpected call, the small critter across from me let out a rather deafening roar, cementing Vulpix on the spot. Because she didn't attack, the old woman raised her hand, signaling the end of the round. The other trainers clapped for a bit while Wyatt recalled his Aron, and I took the chance to look over Vulpix's wound. The old woman signaled us over to her desk, and my heart began to race on the way there.

"Based on your performances, I have concluded the following: Star wins the full two points for the mind category. You both tie for the skill category, so each earns one point. And for the final category, body, Wyatt earns the full two points. Therefore, the match ends in a draw, three-to-three."

The other trainers around us started whispering amongst themselves, but I wasn't exactly sure what to make of all that. I looked to Wyatt, who just shrugged at me and smiled a bit. The old woman made a few notes on a paper before looking at me directly.

"Because you're the newcomer, you have the option of challenging Wyatt again for the full victory," she said, her eyes drilling into my very being. I swallowed hard, and looked down at Vulpix, trying to decide.

"I haven't got all day, young lady. Will you challenge again, or not?"

"No," I blurted out. Again, the other trainers started whispering amongst themselves. At the time, I wasn't sure that's what I wanted to say, but it just came out on its own.

"Very well. You may take a seat and await your next opportunity."

"No, thank you. I think I'll be moving along, now," I said, a bit unsure if the woman would even let me. She nodded, and scratched my name off a list before her. That done, I picked Vulpix up in my arms and started out of the arena. I didn't even say goodbye to the man tending the front desk, not that he even noticed me leaving. Once outside, I made for the Pokemon Center to have Vulpix all patched up before I moved out from town.

"Oh, hello Star! I take it you paid a visit to the Battle Tent?" Nurse Joy took Vulpix from my arms, inspecting the small bruise on her cheek before taking her to the machine.

"Yeah, but it wasn't what I expected. Not even the Pokemon League has such boring rules and people running it." I, of course, was going by Lance and what I had seen during the League Tournament a few weeks prior.

"They're probably just sour they have to look after these lousy tents. The actual island where the Battle Frontier is located is quite a sight, you know!" Joy dug around the stack of magazines on the counter, finding the one she was looking for within seconds. She flipped through a few pages before showing me a picture of the island. It was almost like looking at a fairground.

"This is the Frontier?"

"Yup! I've been there once before, before it was opened. It was beautiful then, so I can only imagine how it is now. Don't let those guys in the tent get you down, I'm sure visiting the actual island will be worth the trip!"

"I guess you're right," I told Nurse Joy, looking over the pictures for the second time. Even if I went as a tourist and not a trainer, I was sure it'd provide plenty of fun memories to look back on. "Thanks, Nurse Joy! I'll be sure to visit while I'm in the area."

"Good girl! Now, here's your Vulpix," she said, handing me back my fluffy critter. Vulpix barked happily in my face, licking my cheek before she leapt onto the floor. "I hope I see you here again in the future, Star!"

"Yeah, me too," I replied, a smile glowing on my face.

Though I doubted deep down I'd ever be in the Fallarbor area again.


	56. Northern Hoenn

Northern Hoenn, Chapter 56

If Route 114 was the most beautiful route in all of Hoenn, eternal war between Pokemon aside, then Route 113 was something of the opposite. Soot from Mt Chimney seemed to always fall over a good portion of the route because of the winds, especially in the fall. As a result, the grass was gray, the trees that weren't already bare were also gray, and Pokemon were somehow much easier to spot in the tall grass. Aside from the abundance of Sandshrew, I also spotted a few Spinda trying to hide from me. Despite their odd appearance, I was tempted to catch one, but fought the urge as usual. I had recently added Wurmple to my roster, and hadn't even given him the chance to prove himself in battle.

That's why when a wild Sandshrew crossed our path, I held Vulpix in place and released Wurmple to face the wild critter. This was the perfect chance to see what my Pokemon was capable of. The Sandshrew readied its claws, while Wurmple aimed the stinger on its head.

"Wurmple, Poison Sting!"

Wurmple charged forward, drilling his stinger directly into Sandshrew's soft underbelly. To my surprise, the Sandshrew chose not to fight back, and instead ran away! There was something of a look of fear on its face before it ran, but I couldn't be sure what he was afraid of. Wurmple was half his size!

"Well that was weird," I said to myself. Wurmple crawled back to my side, feeling victorious nonetheless. I stroked the back of his neck.

"Guess you're so cool even the wild Pokemon are afraid of you, boy!" I put him back in his Pokeball.

A short walk later, we stumbled across a small house on the side of the road, or rather, what would be the road if it weren't covered in soot. The sign outside read 'Glass Workshop' after I wiped away some of the soot covering it, as well. Curious, I knocked twice before letting myself in. Compared to the cold winds outside, the house was insanely hot, but a welcome bit of heat for the moment.

"Oh! Didn't hear you come in," a middle-aged man said from the other side of the small house. I walked over and introduced myself politely.

"My name is Star, and this is Vulpix. We're just passing through."

"Neal, the Glass Worker. Tell me, you're passing through towards Fallarbor?"

"No, I just came from there. I'm on my way to Lavaridge Town. Why?"

"Well, there might be a small problem with that plan, Star," he said, moving towards his window. I followed him to see what he was talking about. He banged on the glass a few times, shaking off all the soot that was blocking the view. The window gave us both an almost clear view down the route, where a pair of rock formations made a pass to the next Route. However, something big and blue was blocking the pass.

"Yup, a problem alright. See that big thing on the road? It's a sleeping Snorlax." I was more amazed than worried, however, as I pressed my face to the window to get a slightly better view of the Pokemon.

"Really? I've never seen a Snorlax up close before! I saw one in Kanto before, but it was pretty far away. It won't try to eat me, will it?" I had a strange feeling this very question is what kept me away the first time.

"Highly unlikely, but it's not unheard of," the man said, which left my jaw dropped. He then chuckled a bit after seeing my reaction. "No, Star, it won't eat you. Only because it probably won't wake up anytime soon."

"And I'm pretty sure there's no way around the Snorlax, is there?"

"You could try climbing over the beast, but if you disturb it too much it might wake up a might cranky." Then it really would try to eat me. Or Vulpix!

"So you're saying I have to wait? How long?"

"As long as it takes you to collect some soot from outside!" The man produced a plastic sack from his pocket, and forced it into my hands.

"If you collect enough soot, I can make you a glass flute to play for the Snorlax. Once it wakes up, it'll move out of the way, and you can continue on."

"I see," I said, nodding my head. Something about all this felt off, though. "And you won't charge me anything for this? I mean, it is still work, right?"

"Let me be honest with you: I love making things out of glass, I just don't like scavenging for soot outside. People gather soot for me, I make them small trinkets or gifts for free, I make a few glass trinkets for myself to sell and make a living. Everyone wins, no?"

"Yeah, I guess so," I said laughing. "So, how much soot do you need?"

"Fill that bag up as best you can, then come back inside. Shouldn't take me more than a few hours to make the flute for you!"

~o~

Though I was okay with the plan at first, after nearly an hour crawling through the soot covered grass I was regretting my decision. I saw now why Neal didn't like collecting soot for himself: it wasn't easy at all! It was like trying to clean up a mess of sugar you spilled in the kitchen, only instead of the sugar falling down again, it was carried off by the wind. Neal didn't even give me a proper shovel or anything to pick it up, like he expected me to just waltz through the tall grass and it would magically fall into the sack.

Luckily, Vulpix was having more than enough fun for both of us keeping the wild critters away. For every few steps I took, it seemed like there was a Spinda or Sandshrew out to stop me from collecting soot. Meanwhile, my joy came from kicking a rock ahead of me everytime I moved forward in my soot collecting.

Sometime into my collection quest, Vulpix jumped in front of me, and started growling at something up in a tree. I looked up, and saw a large metal bird perched there. Its eyes drilled holes into me, but I couldn't stop myself from digging up my Pokedex to scan the critter.

"Skarmory, the Armor Bird Pokemon. Its sturdy wings look heavy, but they are actually hollow and light, allowing it to fly freely in the sky."

"Well, he doesn't look very happy to see us, Vulpix," I said, slipping the Pokedex back into my bag. The large bird let out a sharp cry, which made me jump a bit. That same cry caused all the wild Pokemon around me to scurry away in fear. Vulpix held her ground, growling at the bird. Skarmory spread its wings, which scared me even more.

"Vulpix, maybe we should go..." I started walking backwards slowly, hoping not to anger the bird further. My clumsiness got the better of me, though, and I tripped on that same rock I had kicked aside just a moment ago. My sudden tumble, along with my yelp, was the last straw for the Skarmory. The bird took to the air, swooping down at Vulpix.

"Watch out!"

Vulpix dove into the grass, kicking up a cloud of soot that got into Skarmory's eyes. The bird lost control for only a moment, and it crashed into the ground just a short ways off. I stood up, and Vulpix rejoined my side. Skarmory stood up as well, looking in my direction, now angrier than before. Its wings started to sparkle in the light, and it charged us.

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

Vulpix blasted the metal bird with a spray of flames. I had almost forgotten that fire was effective against the steel type, and the Skarmory quickly realized the threat Vulpix posed. Hurt and maybe even burned, Skarmory took flight away from us. Once it was out of sight, I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Boy, that was close," I said, looking to the soot sack. "I lost a bit of the soot when I fell, but I think this should be enough for Neal. Let's head back to his house, Vulpix."

~o~

"This is everything? I thought I asked you to fill the bag for me!"

"Well, I wanted to, but this Pokemon attacked me while I was out there, and I lost some of the soot," I half-lied, prepared to expand on the tale if Neal asked. Aside from the fact that I didn't want to collect any more soot, the scuffle with the Skarmory really did set me back a while.

"Well, I suppose I can make what I need with this much," Neal said, putting the sack on his table. He walked over to his work desk, and picked up a completed blue flute. "Here is your flute."

"Wait, you mean you already had one ready? Why'd you make me go out and collect all that soot for you?"

"I told you, Star: I don't like to get it myself. That, and I wasn't charging you for the flute, so the least you could do was help me out." I sighed, not wanting to even think about soot anymore. Once I was out of Route 113, I never planned on returning again. I thanked Neal for the flute and was on my way before he cooked up some other scheme to get me working.

I set out towards the pass where the Snorlax was sleeping. I was expecting a short stroll, and soon be out of this route and its never ending soot. Of course, my wants and desires rarely matter in the universe. This time, it would be a trio of nasty Pokemon out for revenge. I was halfway down the road when Vulpix's ears perked up and her gaze shot toward the sky. Before she could start barking to get my attention, I looked up in the same direction, and saw what she did. It was the Skarmory from earlier, now with two companions. On impulse, I reached for Vulpix's mouth, locking it tight before she could start barking.

"Be quiet, Vulpix," I whispered, keeping my head and voice low. "If we can sneak over to the Snorlax without them noticing, we'll be fine."

I let go of Vulpix, and she nodded. We started crawling towards the pass, trying not to shake or move too much so the soot that fell on us made for a makeshift camouflage. Every few seconds I'd look back to the sky, seeing the Skarmory flying about, but not spotting us. The reason for that Sandshrew running away earlier when I battled it with Wurmple was suddenly clear. These Skarmory were the dominant critters in the area. The entire time I crawled along, I was more afraid of the possibility that we'd run right into another wild Pokemon, and the startle would pit us in an unavoidable battle. Thankfully, my luck sufficed this time, and we made it all the way to the Snorlax without any hitches.

Once there, I reached for the flute in my bag, staying as close to the wall as I possibly could. I didn't want the song from the flute to wake Snorlax and have him roll over on me. I put the glass instrument to my lips and started blowing softly. I had never played an instrument before in my life, so I was pretty much playing notes at random the entire time. I guess the Snorlax just likes music, because through my terrible performance he started to rouse from his slumber, letting out a loud yawn as he did. What's more, his yawn drew the attention of the Skarmorys in the air, and they finally spotted me.

"Vulpix, rain down Embers on them!"

Vulpix leapt onto my head, then up on Snorlax to get better distance on her attack. The small flames hardly reached the incoming metal birds, but it was enough to slow their descent. The fire also startled Snorlax, who immediately began to rampage towards the Skarmory in self defense. I hugged the cliff wall to avoid being crushed in the process, and once Snorlax was out of the way, I made a mad dash down the pass. As I ran, I looked back, seeing the heavyweight critter doing battle with the Skarmory. Normal types usually had no chance of facing steel, yet it looked like Snorlax was holding his own.

After a short while, I slowed down to catch my breath. The pass had finally ended, and converted to a small field headed south. Nearby was a sign by the side of the road, so I walked over to read it.

"'Route 111: Connecting Fallarbor, Lavaridge, and Mauville with Hoenn's famous desert'. Not exactly something to be proud of, right girl?" Vulpix shook her head, though I wasn't sure if she was agreeing with me or disagreeing. Being a fire Pokemon, I'm sure the heat of a desert would've have bothered her as much as it would me.

"Well, from here we just have to head south a bit before the road forks. We're heading towards Lavaridge, so we'll be getting on Route 112 soon enough," I said aloud, reading the map on my Pokenav. "According to this, the road splits before the desert begins, so let's get moving."


	57. Heated Battles

Heated Battles, Chapter 57

"I'm sorry, but the lift to Mt Chimney is currently under maintenance. We apologize for any inconvenience, and hope you return soon." The woman repeated, verbatim, for the third time. By this point, I had given up.

"Okay, fine. I'll be back later, then." I walked out of the small building, looking back for only a second.

I was at the foot of Mt Chimney, which was accessible from Route 112. Very little happened of interest during my pleasant, soot-free stroll through Route 111. Normally, trainers could take a chairlift up to the summit of the mountain, to not only see all of Hoenn from up there, but catch rare fire type Pokemon as well. However, as you just heard, the lift was 'under maintenance'. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I felt that was somehow a lie or coverup.

Vulpix barked at me once we were outside, begging for me to pitch tent for the night. The sun was pretty much set by this point, so I didn't blame her for wanting to rest for the day. According to the Pokenav, it was only a short ways to Lavaridge Town from the chairlift, so I decided to push for just a little bit more. I'd rather sleep at the Pokemon Center in town than camp out again. And I certainly didn't want to sleep in the chairlift building with that creepy woman there. She probably wouldn't let me, either.

"Don't worry, Vulpix, you don't have to walk anymore today," I said, as I started assembling my bike. "We'll ride the rest of the way."

This ended up being a big mistake. The road to Lavaridge was actually pretty rough, and in the dimming daylight, I could hardly make out half the rocks in the ground. It was a bumpy ride, certainly not the first I had experienced on my adventures, but it would be the end of my poor bike. In a moment when I checked to see if Vulpix was doing okay in the basket, I crashed straight into a rock, which hurled us both forward. Luckily, we didn't land on any rocks ourselves, but the bike was another story. The rock had not only punctured the wheel, but completely trashed the spokes. Without some serious work, she was a lost cause.

Needless to say, I let slip quite a few words that would've normally gotten my mouth washed out with soap back home. Still, what was done was done, so I picked up the pieces of the bike, folded it up as best I could, and dragged the rest of it into town. Most of the houses, what few there were, had already gone dark for the night. The Pokemon Center was also dark, but no Nurse Joy would ever turn away a Pokemon or their trainer in the dead of night.

"Welcome to the Pokemon Center," Nurse Joy said automatically upon our entry from her desk. "You're sure out late tonight!"

"Yeah, we were in a bit of an accident just now," I said, dropping my broken bike by the entrance. "Is it okay if we stay here tonight?"

"Of course! Are either of you hurt? Was it the rocks on the road just outside town?" I was suddenly a bit happier, knowing I wasn't the first to fall prey to those fiendish rocks.

"Yeah, I didn't see them in the dark, and crashed into one. We're fine, but my bike was broken."

"Well, that's a relief! All the same, if you don't mind, I'd like to make sure you weren't hurt before you go to sleep." Nurse Joy came around the front desk, hospital bed and cart already prepped. I was going to refuse, as I was eager to just get to sleep, but I had a feeling she wouldn't take no for an answer. Once I was aboard, Vulpix jumped in next to me, and Nurse Joy wheeled us into the emergency room.

~o~

"Good morning, Star! You sleep well?"

"Great! I'm sorry I fell asleep last night," I said, finding it a bit hard to remember what had happened. Once we were inside the emergency room, Nurse Joy went right to work checking me for any scrapes or bruises, and in the course of the examination I guess I just dozed off. Vulpix, too, fell asleep almost the minute she got into bed.

"Don't worry about it, I could tell you were exhausted. Long day?"

"You have no idea," I responded, trying to put that soot collection behind me. "Can you tell me anything about the town's gym leader? I'd like to challenge him."

"Her, actually. We recently had a new gym leader appointed, and I'm pretty sure you'll be the first trainer to face her."

A brand new gym leader, I thought to myself. Since the gym was in a town famous for hot springs, I could safely guess it'd be a fire specialty gym. My mind wandered back to Cinnabar Island, when I faced Blaine, and the amazingly anticlimactic win. Then again, a win was a win, and it certainly wasn't my easiest badge ever. That honor belonged to the Cerulean City gym, the battle against Deneb aside.

Once I had a bite to eat, I started out for the gym, but became sidetracked a bit when I passed a small shop next to one of the many hot springs in town. There were a few strange herbs and plants in the window, so I went inside to get a better look around. The store was certainly quaint, with all manner of trinkets and herbs dangling from the ceiling and along the walls. It was almost like a greenhouse on the inside with the amount of plant life. It also had a very powerful smell, something that seemed to bother Vulpix more than myself.

"Welcome to the Herb Shop, dear. Can I help you find anything?" An old woman was tending shop, which didn't surprise me one bit. All these herbs looked to be the kind of medicines used long before potions were sold.

"I'm just looking around," I said, poking away at the various loose leaves and branches I saw on the shelves. Vulpix continued to scoff at everything in the store, scratching at my leg. She desperately wanted to get out of the store, so I figured we could go right away. The prices weren't exactly friendly to begin with.

"Are you sure I cannot interest you in anything?" The woman appeared suddenly behind us, which startled me as much as Vulpix.

"I'm sorry, but I've never shopped for herbs or plants before. What are they for?" I instantly regretted asking that question, but I didn't want to seem ungrateful. You know what they say, once you make eye contact with the seller, it's almost wrong to leave without buying anything. And I looked right into the eyes of the old lady running the place.

"Well, herbs, roots and powders here are all used for keeping your Pokemon energized and combat ready. The little critters might not like the medicine, but like humans, few do. Take this root, for example," she said, handing me a rather hideous brown piece of plant. "The taste is especially foul, but it has the potency to effectively triple a Pokemon's combat output if consumed at the right moment."

"Oh really? Well, that sounds like a useful item," I said, reaching for my purse. "How much would that cost me?"

"Only ¥800, dear. How many will you be taking today?" My eyes widened a bit at the mention of the price.

"Um, just one, thanks." I produced the exact amount and handed it to the old lady. She wrapped the root up in a tissue and handed it to me.

"Thank you, dear, and I hope you visit again soon." I gave the lady a smile and made for the door at a brisk pace.

The warm air of the hot springs outside was a far better experience than being inside that shop. Vulpix was literally jumping for joy at being able to breathe free air again, and I couldn't blame her. I looked down at the root in my hand, my costly ticket for wanting to explore that shop. Still, I couldn't be too sour about it all. She did claim the root would make a Pokemon fight better, so I could save it for an emergency battle in the future.

~o~

Lavaridge's gym was situated in a corner of town, elevated slightly above the ground. Once I was inside, this design choice was immediately apparent. The gym was built like a steam room, with a hot spring directly underneath the floorboards providing the heat. I was a child of a southern region, so I was used to some measure of heat, though it wasn't exactly my favorite kind of weather. Vulpix, on the other hand, was again jumping around at full power. This gym was built for Pokemon like her, and it cemented the idea that the leader here would be using fire types.

I took my spot in the challenger's box, and looked ahead to spot the leader. She was there, sitting down on her side of the arena, just out of sight and being obstructed by the steam. Unsure if she had seen me come in, I cupped my hands around my mouth and yelled out to her.

"Hello? My name is Star and I've come to challenge you for a badge!" I heard some scrambling about on the other end of the arena, then a switch being flipped. Within seconds, the heavy amounts of steam started to thin out, and the gym was cooling down rather fast. Once the steam had all but vanished, I got my first look at the leader.

"Welcome, puny trainer! I am Flannery, the gym leader! So you wish to challenge me for a Heatbadge?" Her voice sounded too deep, as if she were going for an intimidating effect. She was also failing terribly at it.

"Yeah, I already said I wanted to," I replied. From afar, I could tell my response threw her off balance ever so slightly.

"Oh, uhh... yes, right! So, prepare to be beaten back to your home town by my fiery moves!" Flannery released her first Pokemon, a small red Pokemon seemingly made of lava. My first instinct was to get my Pokedex, but then something came to mind.

"Um, Flannery? What are the rules for this battle?" Again, my question left her shocked.

"Oh! Oh, well, we get to use three Pokemon. Whoever knocks out the other's Pokemon first wins, naturally. I mean- three Pokemon each! Do you accept these conditions?"

"Yes," I said flatly. "You already released your first Pokemon, so the battle already started."

"Then choose your Pokemon already!" Ignoring her sudden switch to a high pitch, I grabbed my Pokedex and scanned the critter she had released.

"Slugma, the Lava Pokemon. Molten magma courses throughout Slugma's circulatory system. If this Pokemon is chilled, the magma cools and hardens. Its body turns brittle and chunks fall off, reducing its size." I smiled a bit to myself upon hearing this, and reached for Vaporeon's Pokeball. Upon releasing him, Flannery began the assault.

"Slugma, Light Screen!"

"Vaporeon, Bubblebeam!"

Right off the bat, a curtain of light flashed around Slugma, which would come to throw off my entire battle plan. Vaporeon released the blast of bubbles, and although a few managed to strike Slugma, most were repelled by the Light Screen, sending them towards the walls of the gym. Luckily, those few bubbles that did strike severely damaged Slugma, who was already starting to turn black all over. This battle was certainly much easier than I originally anticipated.

"Slugma, Overheat!"

"Vaporeon, get in close for a Water Gun!"

Vaporeon jumped into an instant sprint towards Slugma, who remained perfectly still. From afar, I could see Slugma's body returning to its original color and heat as it stored up energy for its next attack. It didn't hit me until right as Vaporeon and Slugma were practically face to face. As Vaporeon unleashed his Water Gun attack on the fiery critter, Slugma blasted Vaporeon with a massive cloud of fire and heat.

Vulpix started barking, calling out to Vaporeon to see if he made it out okay. Once the cloud of smoke dissipated, Vaporeon remained standing, though badly burned and tired. Slugma, on the other hand, was pitch black, and started to break up into pieces. Before he completely vanished, Flannery returned him to his Pokeball.

"Nicely played, Star! But Slugma was only my first Pokemon!" She yelled out at the top of her lungs, keeping in character the entire time.

"I know that," I called back. She scoffed at me, and released her next critter, a little yellow Pokemon that was downright adorable. Vaporeon was not in any condition to fight, so I called him back and let him take a good rest. Meanwhile, I scanned the new opponent to get a better idea of what to expect.

"Numel, the Numb Pokemon. Numel stores magma of almost 2,200 degrees F within its body. If it gets wet, the magma cools and hardens. In that event, the Pokemon's body grows heavy and its movements become sluggish." It was as if she was making it easy for me. However, to save myself a last Pokemon scare, I went with someone other than Wingull to fight this critter: Poochyena.

"Numel, use Focus Energy!"

"Poochyena, Bite!"

My dark colored dog launched himself forward, fangs ready to dig into Numel's seemingly soft exterior. Numel didn't move, though, taking in as much energy as it could before Poochyena interrupted, biting hard into the Pokemon's neck. In fact, the bite was so deep, Numel cried out in agony, and I caught a glimpse of the Pokemon's blood from my end of the arena.

"Numel! Are you okay?" Flannery had seen it also, and was about to make the same mistake I once made: going out into the arena in the middle of the battle. Fortunately, she caught herself in time, and held her ground. I was thinking Poochyena went too far, but I didn't want to call him back just yet.

"Numel, buck up and use Magnitude!"

"Poochyena, watch out!"

Numel lifted his front legs up high, and sent them crashing back down. The impact, coupled with the energy he had just stored, shook the very foundation of the gym, even cracking some of the wooden floorboards underneath Numel's feet. Poochyena, however, had evaded the attack completely by leaping into the air. Now at Numel's side, he once again latched onto Numel's neck, biting down hard without my say so.

"That's not fair! Your Pokemon is out of control!" This time, Flannery didn't bother with the rules, and ran out onto the arena. The thing about gym leaders was they could defend their own fouls with the League, but the challengers couldn't. I had a mind to call Flannery out on her action, but I knew she did it only to help Numel. She went to pry Poochyena off Numel, but the black dog let go and tried to bite her instead!

"Poochyena, stop that!" I ran out after the Pokemon, aiming his Pokeball to force him back in. Before I could get a clear shot, Poochyena turned around and delivered a powerful kick towards Numel, sending the small Pokemon flying across the arena. Just as the beam of light made contact with Poochyena, his body started to glow, but he was back inside the Pokeball before anything else happened. I couldn't be sure without releasing him again, but I think he was about to evolve at that instant.

Flannery ran after her Numel, who was badly injured, especially around his neck. Naturally eager to help, I ran up to her side with a potion in hand, feeling more than a little responsible for what had just happened. She denied the item, however, and pulled out a different form of medication from her pocket: some of the root I had bought earlier! She forced it down Numel's throat, against the Pokemon's desire to eat it. However, within seconds, Numel's wounds started to recover, and he was looking healthier on the spot!

"I'll have Nurse Joy pick him up pronto, but at least with that he'll be okay until she gets here," Flannery said, returning Numel to his Pokeball.

"I'm sorry, I didn't expect Poochyena to attack like that."

"No, it's okay, no permanent harm done," she said with a smile. "We should get back to our battle."

"Um, okay," I said, a bit confused. Her Pokemon was nearly mauled to death, and she wants to continue battling? I mean, Numel was in better shape after eating the root, but I figured she'd cancel the match to rush him to the Pokemon Center. Once we were both back in our respective spots, Flannery released her final Pokemon, a large, red turtle. Before reaching for Wingull, I scanned the critter from afar.

"Torkoal, the Coal Pokemon. It burns coal inside its shell for energy. It blows out black soot if it is endangered." More soot, just what I wanted. Once Wingull was out on the field, Flannery got right to issuing commands.

"Torkoal, start with Attract!"

"Wingull, don't fall for it! Use Water Gun!"

Torkoal tried to lock eyes with Wingull, and it actually did. However, Wingull didn't become infatuated with the turtle Pokemon, leading me to realize Wingull was actually a girl! Unaffected by her attack, Wingull swooped in on Torkoal, dropping a small glob of water right into the hole on the shell. For such a small attack, the Torkoal seemed to be in extreme pain, as a blast of steam erupted from that same hole just a moment later.

"Torkoal, use Flamethrower!"

"Wingull, Water Gun again!"

Both Pokemon opened wide, one blasting flames, the other water. The point where both met turned into a misty haze neither of us could see through, but I noticed Torkoal's flames were steadily beating Wingull's water gun. After a few more tense seconds, the flames overpowered Wingull, and she was forced to the ground by the fiery attack. Being relatively inexperienced in battle, Wingull was out in a single attack. I put her back in her Pokeball, now left with only one choice to win this match.

"Do you give up, Star? You're out of Pokemon to use!" That deep, fake voice of her's was back. Ignoring it, I reached for Poochyena's Pokeball. It was all up to him. I released the Pokemon, but it wasn't the same one I had returned earlier. This Pokemon was larger, and far more menacing. I scanned him with my Pokedex on the spot.

"Mightyena, the Bite Pokemon. It will always obey the commands of a skilled trainer. Its behavior arises from its living in packs in ancient times."

"I'd say you were cheating, but there's no rules against a Pokemon evolving mid-battle. Well, let's get right to it! Torkoal, Heat Wave!"

"Mightyena, use Bite!"

Instead, Mightyena just plopped down on the ground, intent on defying my command. Though this did anger me slightly, I was more concerned for his well-being. Torkoal leaned forward slightly, releasing an expansive blast of heated air towards Mightyena. Once the cloud hit him, Mightyena went on the offensive by himself. Howling loudly to the point where it echoed in the gym, Mightyena rushed Torkoal through the heat wave, slamming into the shelled critter at full pelt. Torkoal was sent crashing backwards, almost taking Flannery with her.

"Hey! Control your Pokemon!"

"Mightyena, get back here!" I screamed, but my own Pokemon wasn't going to listen to me anytime soon. Mightyena instead rushed Torkoal again, jumping onto the turtle's back and biting down on its neck. I didn't want a repeat of the incident earlier, so I ran out to force him back into his Pokeball. Vulpix ran alongside me, ready to subdue her own ally if it came to it.

"Mightyena, return!" I aimed the beam of light at him, but he narrowly dodged it. Landing almost in front of me, Mightyena was about to bite even me, when Vulpix blasted the Pokemon with a Flamethrower attack. Caught off guard completely, Mightyena was badly burned by Vulpix's attack. Now down on the ground, I forced him into his Pokeball, though even then he tried to fight his way out.

"Is your Torkoal alright?"

"Yeah, she'll be okay, once I take her to the center. You should really do something about that Pokemon, you know."

"I'm sorry, I didn't think he'd be so out of control. To be honest I hadn't used him since I caught him. If you think the battle wasn't fair, I'd gladly try again, with different Pokemon this time!" I was certain Flannery would like a rematch, just because this battle wasn't exactly orderly.

"You kidding? I wish all my battles were like this!" She screamed out, which caught me by surprise.

"I'm new to this, you know? But I had seen my grandpa battle before. His battles were all so boring, so when I was asked to take over, I didn't exactly like the idea, you know?"

"Does that explain your weird voice?" I asked her. She laughed a bit before answering.

"Oh that! I just wanted to see what I sounded like if I acted like my grandpa. You know, I didn't like it myself," Flannery said, scratching her head. I smiled at her, when I realized she hadn't awarded me the badge yet.

"So, did I win the badge?"

"Oh! Oh yeah, almost forgot!" She dug into her pants' pocket, pulling out a small red badge in the shape of a wisp of flame.

"Congratulations, Star! You've earned this Heatbadge, lame name and all!"

~o~

"Want some ice cream, Star? It's a local flavor," Flannery said, offering me the cold, sweet treat. I took it from her, and got right to tasting it. It was a hard to place; it had no distinct flavor, was sweet, but at times salty.

"It's pretty good, what is it?"

"Sea-salt, though don't ask if that's what they actually make it with. Wouldn't want to ruin the flavor!"

We were sitting outside the Pokemon Center, both our Pokemon inside getting treated by Nurse Joy. Since there weren't any other trainers there to challenge her, Flannery was killing some time hanging out with me. She confessed it was a boring job, being a gym leader, having to sit in the gym until some trainer came looking only to fight. Couldn't make very many friends that way.

"If I had known," she said, taking one more bite from the ice cream in her hands, "I'd never have taken the job!"

"Yeah, you've said that already. Twice," I responded, smiling. Flannery blushed a little and tried to laugh it off.

"Guess I'm already out of things to say, huh? How about you, Star? Where're you off to from here?"

"South, to Mauville City next," I said, suddenly remembering one of the reasons I didn't visit the city first. "I'm hoping to run into a friend there."

"Oh? Planned a meet there, did ya?"

"Not really. We kinda went our separate ways after we arrived in Slateport City, and then she just vanished on the road. I found her Pokemon on the road, and I reported it to the police, but they haven't found anything yet." My heart started to race a bit, thoughts of terrible things happening to Yunie filling my mind.

"Aww, buck up! I'm sure she's doing just peachy! You know what they say, no news is good news, and all that jazz!"

"Yeah, I'm sure you're right," I said, trying my best to lighten the mood again. "Flannery, has the lift to Mt Chimney been broken for long?"

"Broken? That thing's never broken in the history of forever! Trust me, I've lived in this town since I was born, and that thing has never broken not once!"

"Really? Then why did the woman at the lift say I couldn't get on yesterday?" This time, Flannery's interest was actually piqued.

"Woman? The lift is self-operated, unless someone from town goes there to check up on it." Flannery took one final bite out of her ice cream and threw the rest on the ground like trash. "Star, grab your Pokemon. We're going to Mt Chimney!"

"Um, shouldn't you throw that in a trashcan or something?" I said, pointing at the half-finished treat melting on the ground.

"No time for that! A gym leader's duty is to look after the town! Let's move!"

~o~

"My bike is still at the Pokemon Center," I said, carefully stepping around the rocks on the road. "Is there anyone in Lavaridge that can fix it?"

"You're thinking about your bike now? We're about to infiltrate what could be a Team Aqua or Magma stronghold! Get with the program, Star!"

Flannery had roped me into this little crusade of hers, though I wasn't against the idea entirely. If one of those Teams really was on the mountain, they couldn't be up to any good. What seemed to be on my mind more was the possibility that Giovanni could be there as well. He had vanished after the events in Ecruteak City, so it certainly wasn't impossible. Flannery's craze in getting on the road as quickly as possible also forced me to bring along Mightyena, who continued to rebel against his prison in the Pokeball. I was starting to fear he would be a Pokemon I just wouldn't be able to tame.

"Okay, I'll go in first," she said, once we were at the building. "Since I'm the gym leader, they'll have to answer me! If you hear trouble, get right in to help, okay?"

I nodded, and watched her stroll into the building without a care in the world. I peeked from the edge of the glass door, watching as Flannery met with the same woman from yesterday. Some words were exchanged between the two, peaceful at first. Then Flannery started to raise her voice, and the woman looked a bit panicked. Couldn't blame her, Flannery looked like the kind of girl that would erupt if she knew she was being jerked around. Finally, it reached critical, and Flannery let out a shrill scream at the woman that sent her running onto one of the lifts. I rushed through the door, Vulpix close behind.

"Star! Hurry up! It's Team Magma! Get on the lift!"

Without saying a word, I jumped into the next availble chair, and Flannery squeezed in next to me. Flipping a switch, two pairs of pedals emerged from under the seat. Flannery got right to pedaling, which made the lift move up the rope slowly.

"What are you waiting for? Pedal!" She screamed at me. I put my feet to the pedals and started pushing. The lift gained some speed, but it wasn't moving particularly fast.

"I thought this thing was automatic!"

"It is, but they've cut the power to keep us from reaching them. Fortunately, each chair has these babies in case of emergencies. Less talk, more pedal!"

After an exhausting but scenic rise, we arrived at the summit of Mt Chimney. As Flannery said, there were at least a dozen Team Magma grunts surrounding the chairlift, Pokemon at the ready. Knowing that Vulpix would be taken from me if they saw her, I forced her to stay on the chairlift and out of sight.

"Step off the chair, slowly, hands up!" One of the grunts commanded, Poochyena barking alongside him. Flannery and I followed orders, but we didn't step far from the chairlift. She was far angrier than she was scared, I might add.

"I'm Flannery, the Lavardige City Gym Leader! I demand to speak with whoever's in charge, now!" The grunts were left a bit perplexed at her demands, but they didn't have to do much thinking on their own. As if on cue, the person in charge stepped forward, draped in a black and red suit.

"I'm Maxie, head of Team Magma. I see you're the new gym leader, come to interfere in my plans?" He spoke calmly, as if unfazed by our presence. He reminded me of Giovanni.

"Well, you can thank my good pal Star for that! She told me something was up, and I came to investigate!" My eyes shot open. What's more, Maxie's cool demeanor vanished at the mention of my name.

"Star? It can't be!" He looked over at me, despite my attempt to look away. From the corner of my eye I saw him produce a picture from his pocket. "It is you! Giovanni instructed us to dispose of you if you dared to meddle in our plans. Kill her!"

The grunts began their approach, only to be forced back by a wall of fire. Vulpix had leapt out from the chair, breathing flames all around us. Taking advantage of the situation, both of us released a couple other Pokemon, hoping to level the playing field. Flannery's Torkoal and Slugma took her side, while I released Vaporeon and Wingull to fight with Vulpix.

Now, as you could imagine, recalling how this battle played out is like trying to remember every face at a fair. With so many Pokemon out, trainers shouting commands into the air, I can't say I remember what happened. All I do remember is after most of the grunts were pushed back, Vaporeon was badly hurt, Wingull was out completely, and even Vulpix was feeling weak. Flannery's Slugma was still going strong, though Torkoal had suffered quite a bit safeguarding my own Pokemon. It was at this point that Maxie stepped forward.

"Idiot grunts. Can't rely on them to do anything right, can you? Now, you'll face me," he said coldly, releasing a Pokemon before us. It was a large red Pokemon, with two mounds on its back, shaped oddly enough like volcanos.

"Camerupt, Flamethrower."

"Slugma, jump in front of him!" Flannery ordered.

The large Pokemon opened its mouth wide, releasing a fiery attack not even Vulpix could hope to achieve. Fortunately, Slugma got in the way just in time, and was taking the attack without any consequence. I was about to order Vaporeon to help out, when the unspeakable happened. After trying so hard, Mightyena managed to break free from his Pokeball. His eyes were set on me.

"Slugma, move, NOW!"

Following Flannery's orders without delay, Slugma inched to the right, allowing the last few wisps of flame to strike Mightyena. The attack was enough to draw the raging Pokemon's attention, which was now fixated on Maxie's Camerupt. Mightyena leapt onto the Pokemon, instantly clawing and biting at Camerupt's neck.

"Camerupt, use Lava Plume!" Maxie screamed out, desperate to ward off Mightyena's assault.

"Star, get down!" Flannery jumped on top of me, forcing me to the ground. Vaporeon and Vulpix jumped behind us as well, just in time to avoid what was about to happen.

Camerupt's two humps erupted, blasting Mightyena high into the air, and showering the entire area around the Pokemon in superheated flames. What's worse, the mountain itself began to shake. The grunts that had been beaten back began to panic, and were running in every direction. Something big was happening, but the loud noise made it hard to make out what anyone was saying. I looked out from under Flannery, seeing something huge emerge from within the mountain. It was a Pokemon, alright, drenched in searing hot lava, but brushing it off as if it were water. The pattern all over its body began to glow, lighting the Pokemon up in the sudden darkness that fell over the mountain.

"No! Groudon is escaping! You fools! Stop him!" Maxie cried out, ordering his Camerupt to try and halt the massive Pokemon's advance. Groudon, if it was called that, simply ignored the Pokemon's attacks, and made its way down the mountain. The trail of molten lava it left in its wake prevented Maxie from following.

~o~

"Thank you for your help," said the police officer, as he made a few final notes on his notepad. The mountain had quieted down now, and the police from Mauville had arrived to apprehend whichever members of Team Magma were still lurking about.

In the wake of the rise of Groudon, Maxie had somehow escaped. Neither I nor Flannery had seen him escape, each of us too scared to look when it sounded like the mountain would actually erupt. Fortunately, it turned out only to be Groudon stomping on the side of the mountain as it departed. Closer to home, Mightyena had disappeared in the madness as well.

"He's no where to be found, Star. You think he might've run away?" Flannery gave me a towel, though it wouldn't do much in the way of cleaning our dirty faces.

"Maybe. And maybe it was for the best, too," I said, wiping the sweat from my forehead. "He was just too out of control, if I had tried to keep him, this would've happened eventually. At least here, he helped us out of a tight spot, thanks to you."

"Just thinking on my toes, is all. That Maxie guy got away though. Shame, I was hoping to pummel him myself a bit!" I didn't tell Flannery, but I had an idea of where Maxie might've run off to.

"Can we go back to town? I'm beat, and I want to take a bath, too."

"Sure thing! I'll rent us out a hot spring! Come on, I think the police got the lift working again."

Before I followed Flannery to the chairlift, I took one last look at the summit of Mt Chimney. If there was one thing I was kicking myself over, was not scanning that giant Pokemon when I had the chance. At least I didn't have to worry about the other thing, which was looking out to the rest of Hoenn.

In the light of the sunset, all the trees of Hoenn looked to be on fire. I said a silent prayer that such an event never come to pass.


	58. Autumn Sands

Autumn Sands, Chapter 58

"You sure you don't want to stay another day?"

"Sorry, Flannery, but I really need to be moving on," I said, this time moving towards the town exit as I spoke. It had been two days since the events at Mt Chimney already, and I feared my short break would allow Maxie to start working on a new plan. It wasn't entirely up to me to stop him, but I couldn't just leave the job unfinished. I was also trying my best to forget he wanted me dead.

"Please? We had so much fun yesterday!" She pleaded, trying to stand in my way. She was right, I did have a great time the previous day, just relaxing by the hot springs on a rather cold day. I also gave my Pokemon a chance to relax outside their Pokeballs, something I hadn't done in a while. Still, my mind was set, and I needed to be moving on. Without my bike, which had been deemed a lost cause by Flannery's friend, I'd have to walk the rest of the journey. I couldn't afford a new bike on my salary.

"I'm sure we'll meet again. I have a pass to the Battle Frontier," I said, showing her the signed brochure Roxanne had given me. "If you're going, we can meet up there!"

"Really? That's great! How did you get an entry pass?" She took the brochure from me, and read Roxanne's name and the few notes she had jotted down. Her expression suddenly darkened. "Roxanne gave you this?"

"Yeah, she was real nice. Why?" I so foolishly asked.

"Nothing, no reason at all," she said coldly, almost forcing the brochure back into my hands. "I guess we'll see each other at the frontier later."

"O-Okay," I said, not sure if I wanted to ask what the history between her and Roxanne was. Flannery was about to fill me in on those details, regardless.

"We know each other, you know? We're the same age, actually. She was the smarty pants in class, while I kinda toughed it out to get by, ya know?"

"I thought you lived here your entire life?"

"Oh I did, but I also went to school in Rustboro. Lavaridge doesn't exactly have the best schools. Anyway, we were friends at first, but she went all study study, while I left at ten to become a trainer. That didn't last long, as you could guess, but last I heard she became a teacher of the school! A teenager, can you believe it!?" I was starting to see why she didn't like Roxanne.

"Yeah, who would believe that?" I said.

"Well, I thought I'd finally beaten her when I became a gym leader! Then I learn she'd been one for a long time! The nerve!" I could tell Flannery was only getting more and more agitated, though why I couldn't quite figure out.

"Well! Look at the time! I'd best be moving, so I'll see you at the Battle Frontier, okay? Bye, Flannery!"

I didn't give her a chance to properly cool down and bid me farewell. I'd later learn she continued to seethe about Roxanne for at least a few more hours after I left. From that day on, I made a mental note never to bring up Roxanne while around her.

~o~

It was practically the middle of autumn. Trees were more of the reds and yellows, and the overall temperatures were consistently dropping. So why was the desert on Route 111 so darned hot? Not only that, but sand kept getting in between my feet and sandals, which was a sticky annoyance I had to live with. If I took them off and walked barefoot, I'd burn my poor feet. Still I trudged on, all the while considering turning right around and going the extreme long way, back through Meteor Falls, if need be. Then I remembered all the craziness that happened the first time I went through there, and I pushed the thought out of my mind.

Still, it wasn't an entirely bad experience. The desert was home to a few rare kinds of Pokemon, one of which piqued my interest enough to attempt a capture. Until I remembered I was out of Pokeballs again. I'd already lost count of how many towns I'd passed through and not purchased any Pokeballs. The one where Mightyena was held was out of the question, as it was destroyed when he forced himself out during the fight on Mt Chimney. I had to settle for scanning the critter.

"Cacnea, the Cactus Pokemon. The more arid and harsh the environment, the more pretty and fragrant a flower Cacnea grows. This Pokemon battles by wildly swinging its thorny arms."

Once I had scanned the Pokemon, it scurried off into the desert, vanishing into the sandy dunes. According to my Pokenav, it was a short trip through actual desert before the road cleared up again, though it was also really easy to get lost along the way. As the hours marched on, I began to fear I was lost in the desert myself.

"Vulpix, can't you smell your way out of here or something?" I looked down at my furry traveling companion, who wasn't at all fazed by the heat. She pointed her nose high, taking in deep breaths, but to no avail. She wasn't a Growlithe, after all.

"It's okay, let's just keep moving. I stay still for too long and I'll start to melt."

Had it still been the middle of summer, I probably would've passed out somewhere in the sand from the heat. But because it was closer to winter, and the desert area itself wasn't too vast, cool winds blew in from the mountains that surrounded us. It was by these mountains that I also navigated, until I saw something resembling a house in the distance. At first I thought it could be a mirage, like you commonly hear about on TV, but as we got closer, it became clearer. It wasn't a house, after all, but some kind of cave in the middle of the desert.

I peeked inside, hoping I didn't run into any angry wild Pokemon inside. To my surprise, it was silent within, and the wild Pokemon of the desert seemed to keep their distance. I wasn't stupid, of course, and knew this meant there was something especially dangerous living within. Still, shade was shade, and as long as I didn't wander too far in I'd be safe, I reasoned with myself. I took a seat inside, just by the entrance. My body was drenched in sweat, which made my dress all the more uncomfortable to wear. I was grateful for the shade, but I would've seriously preferred an oasis instead.

After a short rest inside, Vulpix's ears perked up. I noticed right away, but wasn't able to keep her mouth shut in time. She got out one bark into the darkness of the cave, which echoed loudly for a few seconds. My heart raced for the few tense seconds to follow, praying she hadn't angered or awakened whatever made the cave its home. The last thing I wanted to do was flee across the desert to safety.

A minute passed, then another. There wasn't a sound coming from inside the cave. Vulpix had been fidgeting the entire time, desperate to escape my vicegrip. After I let her go, she ran off to the other end of the cave exit, but kept quiet. With the sun starting to set outside, the light came in through the cave exit at an angle, illuminating the deeper end of the cave better. Curious, I stood up and slowly walked over, allowing the sunset to light the way. I didn't go very far, as a huge stone door blocked the way. Etched into the door were a bunch of small holes.

"Looks like a puzzle or something, right? Wonder how you're supposed to solve it?" I stuck my fingers into a few of the holes, but as far as I could tell, it wasn't a simple trick switch puzzle. Whatever was on the other side of the door probably wasn't meant to be released. And I wasn't looking to find out what it was or why.

"Looks like we'll be safe in here for the night, Vulpix. Let's set up camp; we'll get an early start tomorrow out of this stupid desert."

I slept soundly enough that night. Though I swear I kept hearing something stomping around on the other side of the stone door. And whatever it was, it was huge.

~o~

Before sunrise, I was marching north again. I made sure to study the map so crudely displayed on my Pokenav's screen before setting out this time, and learned that the mountain range surrounding the desert would lead me back to Route 111 proper. This in mind, I prepared myself mentally and physically for another march in the sand. As a bit of a side note, the desert before sunrise was amazingly cold. Once the sun was up, however, the temperature seemed to jump within minutes.

Without boring you with the uneventful march, I found my way back to Route 111, and kissed the dirt road leading to Mauville City. I'd quickly come to regret this action.

"Here you have it, folks! The young and adorable trainer that's been MIA for some time now! Star, could I have a minute?" If you didn't guess, it was Gaby, the reporter I met back in Slateport.

"Gaby?"

"Was there a reason for kissing the ground? Are you trying to spread a new eco-friendly message to your fans?" She put the mic to my lips, but I was at a loss for words.

"What?"

"Ty, be sure to get all this! Star wants all you Hoenn viewers to respect the environment! After all, without it, we couldn't live in this wonderful region! We don't want to become the next Orre, now! No offense to any residents from there!" Ty gave us both a thumbs up, signaling Gaby to spin around back to me.

"So, any parting words for us, Star? Make it something inspirational!" Again, the mic was directed to my mouth.

"Is that a Mudkip?" I pointed to Ty, where sure enough, there was a wild Mudkip walking by. Caught by surprise, Ty jumped at the sight, nearly dropping his camera to the ground. Gaby also let out a shriek, though the Mudkip looked more scared of us, and took off.

"Well, that was certainly a bit of excitement. Thank you for the interview, Star. You can watch it tonight on channel 5. Ty, let's move!"

Just like that, they ran off back south towards Mauville City. This entire time, Vulpix was sitting nearby, watching the drama unfold. I looked over to her, getting an awkward smile of sorts. I sighed, and signaled for her to follow me. Mauville City couldn't be that far anymore.


	59. Electrifying Ploy

Electrifying Ploy, Chapter 59

It was just past midday when I finally arrived in Mauville City. To my surprise, the city wasn't exactly what I expected. Instead of the tall buildings and plentiful houses of previous cities, like Slateport or Rustboro, Mauville was more of a small town. The most prominent features were the city gym and local game corner, which I had every intention of avoiding. My previous experience with one left me at the mercy of Team Rocket. Come to think of it, David did say there was supposedly a secret entrance to Team Magma's base in Mauville City, so the game corner was the prime suspect. All the more reason to avoid it.

Despite the city's small size, it trafficked in quite the number of visitors. Walking all about town were trainers and everyday people. After some asking around, I learned that thanks to a man named Wattson, who was also the gym leader here, Mauville had become a central hub of Hoenn. Because of its position in the center of Hoenn, it was a gateway to all four cardinal directions. With the city being so tiny, I decided to conduct my business at the local gym and be on my way. I had the strangest feeling someone had instructed me to do just that.

First of all, though, I went to visit the local authorities. It had been some time since Yunie's disappearance, and I wanted to see if they had found some trace of her.

"Excuse me," I asked the young policeman tending the desk, "I want to know if you found anything out about my friend Yunie."

"I'm sorry? Who are you?"

"Oh, my name is Star, sir. I asked the officer in Oldale Town for help, and he told me he passed the message to you. It's about my friend Yunie, she went missing on Route 110 like two weeks ago?" To my surprise, the officer didn't even have to look through any records.

"Oh! That girl? As a matter of fact, we did find her! She turned up without a scratch just two days past. Said she had been in some strange forest with Pokemon. We asked her to tell us more, but she just left when we told her her Pokemon was in Oldale Town waiting for her." I couldn't believe my ears.

"Thank you, officer! Thank you!" I swooped Vulpix into my arms and ran out the door. The sunshine and cool air seemed more refreshing than ever.

"She's alright, Vulpix! And she's headed for Oldale Town! Let's get to the gym quickly, and we'll head back there. We have to catch up to her!"

~o~

Naturally, something had to come along and muck up my plans. The gym was locked up, with a sign posted on the door that it'd remain closed until further notice. Just what was it with gym leaders in this region? All the same, I knocked on the door a few times, hoping there was a janitor or something inside that could help me find out when the leader would be back. After a few minutes of hopeless knocking, a kid tapped me on my shoulder.

"Can't you read?"

"I can, stupid." I replied coldly. "I'm looking for the gym leader. I thought he might be hiding inside."

"Wattson? I saw him leave a little while ago. He was headed to the game corner. Didn't think such an old guy would be into games," the kid said, pointing out the other large building in town. Like it or not, my path was leading me right into another Team trap.

After thanking the kid, as well as apologizing for being rude, I made for the game corner. Inside it was pretty much identical to Celadon City's corner, without the menacing people in charge. I strolled up and down the aisles of machines, trying to spot anyone old who resembled a gym leader, if that made much sense. After trying a few incorrect persons, I took a seat at one of the machines. Could the kid have pointed me in the wrong direction?

"Want to play, little girl?" My attention turned to one of the corner's employees, who had in his hand two tokens.

"Oh, no thanks. I'm looking for the gym leader, Wattson? He told me to find him here."

"Is that so? He told you?" The man pocketed the two tokens and walked away, not giving me a chance to correct myself. He came back just a moment later with a key in his hands.

"I'm sorry, I meant to say-"

"Here's the key, you know the rest. Get behind the counter when no one's looking," he whispered, dropping the key in my hands. He moved down the aisles, checking in with a few of the other customers. Taking the key in my hand, I crawled over to the counter and snuck in under the door. I was tempted to take one of the prizes back there, another Pokemon doll, but I resisted and went through the door behind the counter.

In the back room, the walls were lined with shelves stocked with old prizes for exchange. Tucked away in the back was a door, almost concealed by a floor to ceiling high poster of a Pokemon I didn't quite recognize. I turned the key in the door lock, hearing an audible clank. The other side of the door was pitch black, but a nearby switch illuminated the room, which turned out to be a hallway. Vulpix barked, and started down the hallway first. I followed her, but forgot to take the key with me, and the door closed behind me. Of course, it was locked from this end.

I followed the tunnel for a while, a long while, all the while realizing this was surely a one way ticket to more trouble with Team Magma. If Maxie had made it here after what happened on Mt Chimney, and found me snooping about his base, I was as good as dead. Nothing like a little excitement to get my heart racing. At the end of the tunnel was another door, which was also locked. I pressed my ear to the door, trying to see if there was anyone on the other side. I could hear movement, but no voices. I took a deep breath, and knocked on the door twice before turning off the lights with the switch next to the door.

I pressed up against the wall opposite the switch, and left Vulpix standing in the middle of the hallway. After a moment, the door unlocked from the other side and swung open. As I expected, it was a member of Team Magma. He spotted Vulpix, and leaned in close.

"Well, what are you doing in here? Come on, I'm not gonna hurt ya," he said, reaching to pet Vulpix. She bit him in self defense, and I quickly swung by bag over his head. The blow was hard enough, probably thanks to some leftover eating utensils, to knock him out cold.

"Good work, girl! Quietly now." I dragged the grunt into the hall, snatching his hat and vest in the process. I slipped into the get up and closed the door slowly. It wasn't much of a disguise, but it would allow me to sneak around almost in plain sight. No grunt would look twice at a passing shadow wearing the same clothes, I figured.

The halls were littered with construction tools and loose electrical wires, yet little sign that it was a Team Magma hideout. Slinking through the halls, I stumbled across a number of rooms with grunts inside, but snuck by them without any hitches. Outside one of these rooms, I stopped to eavesdrop on a conversation between a few grunts.

"The boss was pretty mad yesterday," said one grunt. "Heard something went wrong on Mt Chimney."

"I heard from Donald that a pair of little girls came and scared Groudon off," said another grunt.

"I heard it was a gym leader!"

"Either way, with Groudon no longer at Mt Chimney, we're in big trouble. Team Aqua knows where Kyogre is, and they'll probably beat us to capturing a legendary Pokemon."

"If a legendary monster is all they want, I heard there's a few others hiding on the island," spoke a third voice. "Why's Maxie so intent on this Groudon?"

"You stupid or something? Groudon has the power to make land! We could take over the world with that kind of power. Imagine: shaping the land however you saw fit! No one would dare go against us! We could even topple the mighty Giovanni!"

"Too late for that now, Groudon's flown the coop. Wonder what we'll do now."

"That fat gym leader from Mauville is here, maybe the boss's trying to get some dirt on Groudon's whereabouts."

"I just hope we do something soon, I'm bored of sitting here all day."

After having my fill of useful gossip, I snuck by that door as well. David said he had been looking into the champion's own father, so the possibility that even a gym leader was in on Team Magma's plan was certainly viable. Just how deep did Giovanni's influence go?

At the end of the corridor there was another room. I peeked into it from the corner of the entrance, and saw Maxie and an old guy sitting at a table. Figuring it was the gym leader Wattson, I slowly crept into the room, taking cover behind a pile of electrical wires.

"You know very well I can't do that!" Wattson yelled, slamming his fist on the table. Maxie was unaffected.

"You bring me what I asked for, or Mauville disappears from Hoenn forever. In a few years, the place will be known as the Mauville Crater."

"I've cooperated all this time, done everything you've demanded, despite my better judgement. I can not- will not- endanger the lives of Mauville's people over this." Maxie was clearly losing his patience with the old man.

"I will offer you one-"

"Save your breath, I'm not doing anything," barked back Wattson, crossing his arms. Maxie composed himself, and rose from the table.

"Very well. You will remain here, if you try to leave, my grunts have been ordered to use any means necessary to stop you."

Maxie walked out of the room, just two feet away from where I was hiding. I remained frozen as he passed, not even breathing as to not give myself away. Once his footsteps dissipated down the corridor, I stood up from behind the wires and ran over to Wattson's side.

"What's this? An up-and-coming grunt?" Realizing I still had the hat and vest on, I took off the poor disguise and introduced myself.

"I'm Star, and this is Vulpix. We're here to save you, Wattson!" Rather than show relief, Wattson just let out a bit of a chuckle and patted me on the head.

"Oh, I don't need saving, dear! This is just business as usual between Maxie and I." My heart began to race. Was he admitting he was in league with Team Magma? I took a step back.

"You're working with Team Magma?"

"Guess you could say that, though it's not the best job in the world. Oh! Maxie!" My heart skipped a beat, and I spun around to meet Maxie's cold gaze. At his side were two grunts.

"You!"

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

On cue, Vulpix jumped on my head and blasted the three men with her fire attack. They ducked into the corridor for cover, giving me a chance to run back for Wattson.

"Wattson, we have to go!"

"Aren't we a bit on edge," he said with a chortle. "Very well, dear, lead the way."

"Vulpix, chase after Maxie and keep using Flamethrower!"

Vulpix ran ahead of us, turning the corner and blasting more flames at the unseen foes. With her constantly pushing them back, they wouldn't have a chance to release their own Pokemon. We drove them all the way to one of the rooms with other grunts inside, and continued past it to the exit. The grunt I had knocked out was still in the hallway leading back to the game corner, so I used him to block the door from opening.

"Wattson, why are you helping Team Magma?" I asked as we rushed back up the hallway. His response was just another obnoxious laugh.

"I'll explain when we get back, Star. There's absolutely nothing to worry about!"

After a short run, we arrived at the game corner. Wattson cleared everything up with the man working the counter, though it sounded like business as usual, and we left the establishment. Back outside, Wattson took in a deep breath and smiled.

"That explanation I promised: I set that Maxie fellow up." My eyes widened.

"What? How? Wasn't he threatening all of Mauville?"

"Oh, that young rascal. He thinks he could just snap his fingers and order me around? Joke's on him, let me tell you: that base of his is actually mine!"

"What?"

"I called it 'New Mauville', it was supposed to be a backup city in case Mauville ever became overcrowded. I sort of abandoned the plan when I realized the city wouldn't be growing much anymore. My surprise when I go down there one day, and I run into none other than Team Magma! Thought they had me under control, they did, but nothing in that old dump even works!"

"So, he can't actually do anything to the city?" I didn't think Maxie would be that stupid. At least, not to be fooled by Wattson. Guy looked like the most easy-going and gullible person in the world. Though I guess that's why Wattson's idea worked out so well...?

"'Course not! With that Groudon critter of his out finding a new home, not even all his Pokemon and his grunts can take over this city. I also led him to believe there was some sort of weapon in New Mauville; once he tries to activate it, he'll find out it only releases a horde of Electrodes and Voltorbs into the place! They'll be forced out by the self-destructs or take weeks to clean it up. By then, the police'll be waiting for them up top."

I had to admit, Wattson really did fool Maxie and Team Magma. I never would've believed him had I not witnessed him planning Team Magma's capture later that day. Right after he finished explaining the master plan, we went to the police station. The chief there called in for help from Slateport City and Verdanturf Town, and ran out to Route 110 right away. I even saw Gaby and Ty chase after him for the story. Once all that was done, Wattson gave me a pat on the shoulder.

"Your meddling allowed this plan to go through much faster, Star. Ruined my fun, though."

I sighed, still not grasping Wattson's train of thought.

"Can you go back to the gym, now? I want to challenge you already," I said, remembering my original reason for chasing after him. He let out a nice laugh.

"It's a bit late, and these old bones are tired. Tell you what: I'll let you stay at the gym overnight, and we can battle bright and early tomorrow morning. Sound fair?"

"Well-"

"Excellent! When you're done seeing Mauville, feel free to swing on by," he cut me off. Just as he made for the gym, he stopped short and yelled back one last message.

"Bring your own food!"

~o~

I'd go hungry that night.

No seriously: I didn't think Wattson was being serious. After wandering the streets of Mauville for a while, I stopped by the Pokemon Center to let Vulpix rest for a bit. While there, I also had to add in another Pokemon to my roster, to replace Mightyena. I went with Beedrill, who rarely let me down when it came to battles. After all this, the sun was setting on the town, so I started towards the gym, honestly forgetting Wattson's message.

"What do you mean there's nothing to eat?"

"I meant it, Star," he said with his usual chuckle. "I have nothing here to offer you!"

"Is there anywhere I can go now to find something to eat?" My stomach roared loudly, having been deprived of food since early that morning. When you're out on the road, or spelunking about underground bases, you tend to forget to eat.

"I'm sure the local market might be open," Wattson said, checking his watch. "Wait, scratch that. It closed ten minutes ago."

"That's okay," I said grudgingly, "I've gone this long without food in the past."

'Just pulling your leg, Star! Here, have something to eat!' That's what I was expecting Wattson to say, and magically produce something akin to a feast for me. Oh how I was wrong. At least the accommodations were nice: a large bed to sleep in, and TV access. The last time I saw anything on TV was probably while I was in Goldenrod, when I saw the League Tournament.

I flipped through some channels, hoping to find something worth watching. Aside from the usual boring shows about Pokemon friendships and coming-of-age tales, there was really nothing else on. As a bit of a side note, I did stumble across Gaby's interview from earlier, as well as her coverage of the apprehension of the Team Magma members. Something that caught my eye was the fact Maxie wasn't shown on TV. Either they wanted to keep his arrest secret, or he somehow escaped from New Mauville. If he did manage to escape, I had a feeling he'd make me his target.

Fortunately, this wouldn't keep me up that night. Between the fatigue and the hunger, I knocked out much earlier than I normally would. Tomorrow I'd have a battle with Wattson.

~o~

"Okay, Star," Wattson began that morning. "We each get use of two Pokemon. Whomever knocks out both wins this match and the badge. Are you ready?"

"I am," I said from across the arena. He gave his trademark chuckle and released his first Pokemon, a Magneton. Remembering my lessons from Violet City, I chose Vulpix to counter Magneton.

"Okay, the battle has begun! Magneton, Thunder Wave!"

"Vulpix, dodge with Quick Attack!"

The three-eyed critter aimed the magnets towards Vulpix, emitting three waves of electricity towards her. Vulpix vanished just before the waves hit her, and reappeared behind the airborne Pokemon.

"Now, use Flamethrower!"

Vulpix covered Magneton in flames, forcing the Pokemon to the ground. The battle was effectively over in one strike. Wattson recalled his Magneton silently, rather shocked. If he was a steel type user like Jasmine, this battle would be super easy! However, it was only after Magneton was off the field that I noticed Vulpix was paralyzed. The attack had managed to connect after all, which would make using Vulpix a risky move. Wattson released his next Pokemon, a green critter I didn't recognize. I told Vulpix to run back to my side, and scanned the Pokemon.

"Electrike, the Lightning Pokemon. It generates electricity using friction from the atmosphere. In seasons with especially arid air, its entire body blazes with violent showers of sparks."

"Well, Star? Using your Vulpix again?" Wattson called out, his jolly mood back in play. Vulpix wouldn't be able to keep up being paralyzed, so I had to use a different Pokemon. The worst part was my entire team was at a disadvantage to the electric type. All except for one Pokemon. I picked out his Pokeball, and released him. Smeargle emerged, the first time he'd battled in a while.

"Electrike, Quick Attack!"

"Smeargle, Sketch!"

The doglike Pokemon took his tail in one hand and began painting in midair. In the middle of his drawing session, Electrike crashed into him, but Smeargle didn't budge. Once his work was done, a shadow of Smeargle rushed Electrike, knocking the Pokemon back a ways.

"Electrike, use Leer!"

"Smeargle, Quick Attack again!"

Electrike locked eyes with Smeargle, knocking him off balance slightly. Because of this, Smeargle wasn't able to finish the attack, and gave Wattson a chance to order another attack.

"Shock Wave!"

Electrike planted his feet on the ground, and all around him sparks began to appear, drawn into the Pokemon. After a moment's charge, Electrike let out a roar, and with it a lightning bolt shot out towards Smeargle. Still off balance, he took the brunt of the attack twofold, and fell back, charred to a crisp. Forgetting my place, I ran over to Smeargle's side, checking to make sure he was fine. He'd need care at a Pokemon Center as soon as this battle was over.

"Come now, Star, we have a battle to wrap up," Wattson said with that chuckle of his. "Recall your Smeargle and bring out that cute lil' Vulpix!"

I did as Wattson asked, and told Vulpix to get back on the field. She was more than willing, but at the same time feeling really sluggish because of the paralysis. I'd have to turn the tables on Electrike in order to win this battle. Once Vulpix was back on the field, Wattson took the initative.

"Electrike, Quick Attack!"

"Vulpix, guard yourself!"

I was playing this one close, but it was the only way. Being paralyzed, Vulpix couldn't hope to keep up with Electrike, so I had to wait until he was right in front of her to issue attacks. Electrike charged her, while Vulpix covered her head with her front paws. The attack was repelled quite well, and Electrike bounced back a bit.

"Now, use Will-O-Wisp!"

Vulpix reacted quickly, and breathed dark flames on Electrike, who tried desperately to shake them off. The attack was successful, and he was burned quite badly. Wattson's grin vanished from his face again, which meant he was ready to fight back at full power.

"Electrike, Shock Wave!"

"Vulpix, Confuse Ray!"

The two Pokemon locked eyes, and right away Electrike showed signs of his confusion. Expecting this battle to win itself with Electrike's attack, I eased up a little. However, Wattson wasn't about to fall for such a cheap trick.

"Electrike, stop!" His Pokemon stopped the charging process, and remained idle. This was my chance.

"Vulpix, use Flamethrower!"

Unfortunately, the paralysis had set in entirely, and she was frozen to the spot. Unable to move, Electrike had a clean target to finish. Wattson saw this as well, and replaced his grin.

"Electrike, slowly now- use Shock Wave!"

"Vulpix, Flamethrower! Please!"

As if my pleading would help out. I watched as Vulpix tried her best to break free of that paralysis, but just couldn't. Meanwhile, Electrike, just a few feet away, was slowly charging up his next attack, also doing his best to keep the confusion from ruining the attack. If that attack connected, it'd all be over. Then it hit me.

"Vulpix, another Confuse Ray!"

Because it required less movement and effort on her body, Vulpix was able to lock eyes with Electrike. By now, it was too late for Wattson to call off the attack again, so it looked like it would explode in his face. Electrike released the attack, sending a lightning bolt straight for Vulpix. I closed my eyes, fearful of watching the scene. It was Wattson's gasp to follow that made me open them again. Vulpix was still standing, looking the same. Electrike was trying to keep his balance, but the lightning bolt he released was no where to be seen. I looked around the gym, and found the scorch mark on the wall behind me. It had missed Vulpix by no more than an inch.

"Electrike, snap out of that confusion!"

As Electrike worked to steady himself, I fumbled for my Pokedex. I scrolled through Vulpix's available abilities, trying to find something with which to fight back. Spotting a move I had never used, I gambled everything on it working.

"Vulpix, Payback!"

As if to answer my prayer, Vulpix shook off the effects of the paralysis for a moment, and charged forward with both paws out. She crashed into Electrike, sending the Pokemon reeling back to its master. The damage was staggering, and coupled with the burns he had sustained, Electrike was having trouble standing. If Electrike managed to get up for one more attack, it would signal my loss. The paralysis bound Vulpix once more, forcing her to the ground. It was a tense few moments, filled with Wattson's screams for Electrike to get up. Ultimately, Electrike got up, but just didn't have the strength to keep fighting anymore.

"Well, it looks like this battle's ended. Let's call it a draw, eh?" My mouth went agape, but I couldn't argue his ruling. Vulpix was in no better condition to battle, so it was perfectly in his power to call it a draw. However, when Vulpix heard this, she mustered every remaining bit of strength in her body to bring herself back to her feet. She stood proudly defiant of Wattson's ruling, who could only laugh heartily like he always did.

"I was only kidding! You won this battle, Star! Or should I say Vulpix? Come on over here and collect your badge!"

~o~

"So you've collected all the badges of the western side of Hoenn, eh? Fortree City should be your next stop. The leader there has your sixth badge." Wattson had accompanied me to the Pokemon Center, as his own critters needed attention as well.

"Sixth? I only have four badges, though," I said, looking at my trainer card. It only took a moment for me to remember the gym I had skipped over. "Norman."

"Hah! So Norman showed you up, did he? He's a powerful trainer, he is. Best go in with a good battle plan, he doesn't let up." I didn't need Wattson's word to know that. Norman had absolutely trashed me the first time we battled, so I didn't want a repeat of that.

"Actually, I may not collect that badge," I said softly.

"What? Aren't you planning to enter the League?"

"No, I'm not. I'm just collecting the badges for the sake of collecting them. I'm not going to put my Pokemon through those hard battles again just to win something I won't use after everything."

"Well, good for you, Star! I wish more trainers were like you. They continue to force their Pokemon to battle for these badges, then they forget why they want them in the first place. Rather, they've forgotten why the badges were made in the first place," Wattson lamented, looking at one of the many Dynamobadges he had on him.

"I heard something like that from Koga, of Fuchsia City," I said, remembering his lecture. It seemed like so long ago. Nurse joy arrived, holding Wattson's Pokeballs. She handed them over to Wattson, and went back to fetch mine.

"Good luck, Star. Be safe on your travels, and don't go messing with Team Magma or Aqua anymore, okay?"

After Wattson left, I left as well. I was about to depart towards the east, when I remembered something important. I was on my way to Oldale, to meet up with Yunie again. Turning south, I set out for familiar roads.


	60. Reunions

Reunions, Chapter 60

It was a day-and-a-half long trip back to Oldale Town. I will not be sharing much of what happened during that time, as there is little to share. Wild Pokemon attacked me, Vulpix and Wingull took care of them, and I camped out on Route 103 when it got too dark to keep moving. Had my bike not gotten ruined near Lavaridge, I'd have made it to Oldale in under a day, but no sense whining over that anymore.

Well, when I finally got back to Oldale Town, I wasn't surprised to see that little had changed since my earlier visit. My first stop was the police station, and to ask after Yunie. The cop that had locked me up before was still looking over the front desk, and shared my lack of surprise when I walked through the door.

"Well, if it isn't Star. I had a feeling you'd be back here eventually, just not so prompt," he said, offering me a handshake.

"Does that mean Yunie already came to pick up her things?"

"Matter of fact, she left just this morning. That Pichu of hers was ecstatic, must've been close to a month they were separated." I was happy Yunie had finally reunited with Starly, but disappointed I had just missed her.

"Do you happen to know which way she went?"

"Sure do, said she was headed west to Petalburg, then south to Dewford across the sea. If I were you, I'd hurry along, wouldn't want to miss her!"

~o~

And so I ran out of the station, dashing through town and towards Route 102. If Yunie made it past Petalburg City before I got to her, I'd never see her again. I had my own adventure to resume, so I couldn't keep up this chase beyond that. Of course, as my luck would have it, I ran into a trainer, and I feared a battle that would hold me up. I was pleasantly surprised when I realized it was someone I knew!

"Nancy! I didn't expect to see you here!" If your memory isn't as good as mine, Nancy was the girl that practically saved my life when I got sick on the way to Meteor Falls.

"It's so good to see you, Star. You make it past Meteor Falls after all?" Because of the rain and my sickness, I hadn't noticed how well dressed Nancy was. She was dressed much like a regal lady, in a get-up far too formal for exploring the wilderness.

"I did, thanks to you. Oh! Here's your umbrella, I didn't think I'd ever be able to return it to you," I said, digging through my bag.

"It's okay, you can keep it. Help prevent you from getting sick again in the future."

"Thanks. Um, if you don't mind me asking, why are you dressed so... well, fancy?" Nancy paused for a moment to look at her attire, and giggled at the question.

"Oh this? It's nothing, just my everyday attire. The weather continues to get colder with every passing day, you know, so you should consider wearing more than just a sundress."

Comparing my outfit to hers, I suddenly felt underdressed. She had a point, though: we were already in October, and the weather was colder more often than it was warm. Then again, when I came to Hoenn, I hadn't exactly planned to even be in the region. I'd have to find a department store to do some shopping, and save money for it all as well.

"If you'd like, Star, I could help you pick out some new clothes? I know this great boutique in Lilycove City, my treat!" My ears perked up almost as if I were Vulpix.

"Your treat? As in, for free?" I asked, a bit bashful.

"Why, of course! Anything for a dear friend!" Now I really felt like I was taking advantage of Nancy. She not only saved my life back then, but was willing to treat me to a full shopping spree? Just who was she?

"Nancy, I don't know... Wouldn't that be expensive?"

"Perhaps for a common trainer, but not at all for my friend! I insist, Star: you simply must come with me to Lilycove!" Without awaiting my response, Nancy grabbed my hand and started dragging me back towards Oldale Town. Much as it hurt me, I had to pull my hand away from her.

"I'm sorry, Nancy, but I have something to do in Petalburg City first. Is it okay if I catch up to you later?" I almost couldn't bring myself to say it. Who wouldn't drop everything for a shopping spree?

"Very well, I'll be waiting for you in Lilycove City. Just ask for me, and you'll find me! Tootaloo!"

What that actually meant, I wouldn't find out until I was actually in Lilycove later in the month. With that small distraction out of the way, I hastened my step towards Petalburg.

~o~

Petalburg was the same as I remembered it, but I wasn't there to take in the sights this time. Once I was within the city, I leaned down to Vulpix's level.

"Alright girl, somewhere in town is Yunie. I need you to find her as quickly as possible, okay?" The small fox nodded, and ran ahead. With her nose on the job, I was sure to find Yunie in no time. I went down a different street, releasing Wingull to help me with the search. After informing my Pokemon to keep an eye out for a girl with a Pichu, Wingull took to the skies. There was no way I'd leave Petalburg without catching Yunie.

After just a short while of searching, I ran into Vulpix again, who was eager to get me to follow her. Indeed, it was because she had found Yunie. After so long, she was finally there, just the way I had last seen her. She just smiled and waved at me, as if nothing was wrong at all.

"Star, been a while! Thanks for making sure Starly was taken care-" I cut her off, giving her a powerful bear hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" I felt my eyes welling up, so I didn't let go.

"Take it easy, Star, I wasn't dead or anything, you know."

After the initial shock and excitement died down, we went to a local diner for lunch. Yunie treated, having amassed a wealth in the time she was gone. Though I was grateful for the food, I was far more curious about where she had vanished to. I have to say I didn't believe her story at all.

"So... you were turned into a Pokemon?"

"Yup! It was crazy! I was a Chikorita, and I had a Charmander for a partner, and we were in this group called Team Starly, and we had to save this town of Pokemon from this evil Pokemon, and-"

"Okay! Okay, just, one thing at a time," I interrupted. Any other person would think she's just telling lies, or was absolutely bonkers. Yunie took a bite out of her burger and continued.

"You don't know how long I've wanted to taste something like this. Those Pokemon only ate berries and water! I was going crazy," she said, to which I could only reply in thought '_or are crazy already_'.

"Any idea how you got to that place? Or how you turned into a Pokemon?" I went with the same thing, also having been months since I had a burger myself.

"Strangest thing, the last thing I remember was falling asleep under a tree on Route 110. Next thing I know, I'm a Pokemon." If she hadn't gone missing for nearly a month, I'd argue she just had a wild dream.

"Okay, and when you came back? How'd that happen?"

"Well, Team Starly saved the town from Groudon, so I went back to see Xatu, the seer, and he offered me the choice to return home. I thought he meant the clubhouse, then I woke up in the middle of Route 110. Starly was no where in sight, so I went to Mauville, and I learned that I had been missing for all that time. Guess it really was all real."

By all accounts none of this could possibly make any lick of sense. I was about to try and piece it together, when I stopped myself with a french fry in the mouth. Yunie couldn't possibly say anything else that would help make all of that true, so why bother? What mattered was that she was finally back, alive and well. With Team Magma's hideout on Route 110, I was more afraid of the fact she could've been a prisoner. And had she been, it didn't even occur to me while there to look for her. Best keep that thought to myself.

"Well, that's what I was up to, how about you? You collect anymore badges from Hoenn?" It was nice to see she was still as spontaneous -and obnoxious- as ever.

"I did. I have four, so far, but I don't know if I'll be collecting anymore. I was invited to the Battle Frontier by Roxanne, the Rustboro Gym Leader, but that isn't until later this month."

"Aww, that's no fun! You should show up to the place with all eight badges! No offense, Star, but without badges you look like a kindergartener that's gotten lost with her pet Vulpix. With badges, you can show them!"

"It's okay," I replied, taking a drink, "I'm fine with just traveling. I mean, I'll face the gym leaders at least one time, but if it goes bad, I won't go through the trouble of returning to town for a rematch."

"How about this gym? You got this badge yet?" Yunie pointed out the window, and right across from us was the Petalburg Gym. Memories of my first match there with Norman filled my mind. Memories of my utter loss. How to respond to Yunie's question was now at the forefront of my thoughts.

"I... I tried to beat Norman, but I couldn't," I said. Yunie's smile went from ear to ear.

"Then why don't we go in there for a rematch!"

"No, I told you, I wouldn't be doing any rematches."

"Nuh-uh! You said 'I won't go through the trouble of returning to town for a rematch'. You're already here, so why not?" Drat, caught in my own web. I let out a heavy sigh, and looked across the street to the gym. Yunie wouldn't leave me alone unless I went over there and challenged Norman again. And to be honest, I didn't bother to fight her over it either.

Deep down, I wanted that rematch. There was a time when engaging in these gym matches was a necessity for the sake of Deneb, an act I hated. Now, I wanted to prove myself as a Pokemon trainer. I wanted those badges displayed proudly on my trainer card, no matter what it took.

"Let's go," I said, rising from my chair. "I have a match with Norman."

"Alright, Star!" She cheered me on.

~o~

"Welcome to the Petalburg City Gym," Norman began, before realizing it wasn't my first time here. "Ah, if it isn't Star. You've returned for a rematch?"

"I have, and this time I intend to win." I picked out Wingull's Pokeball, ready to call him out first. Norman selected one of his own critters before giving me the rules.

"As before, you have up to four Pokemon at your disposal. The first to knock out the opponent's team is the victor. Are you ready?"

I nodded, and allowed Norman to select his Pokemon first. As I expected, it was Spinda. I threw my Pokeball out onto the field, releasing Wingull. Yunie cheered me on from a chair near the entrance, as did her Pichu. A bell chime echoed throughout the gym, and the match had begun.

"Spinda, Teeter Dance!"

"Wingull, fly up high!"

The small white bird flapped his wings as hard as he could, taking himself high above Spinda. The small bear went through the motions of his dance, but Wingull was too far up to be affected. Wingull couldn't keep their altitude for long periods of time, so I had to time his descent just right. Meanwhile, I kept a constant eye on Norman's reactions, hoping to anticipate his next move.

"Spinda, Encore!"

The small bear started clapping furiously towards Wingull, and the praise was actually getting to him! Despite my orders to level off, Wingull kept flapping his wings harder and harder, crashing into the ceiling before long. The bump was hard enough that he went crashing back to the ground. Hoping to salvage the opportunity, I yelled out one more order.

"Wingull, use Wing Attack!"

It was close, but Wingull pulled back his wings, speeding up his descent. Just as he was about to crash into the ground, he altered his trajectory towards Spinda, and flapped his wings just before landing. Powered by his momentum, his attack sent Spinda rolling towards the gym wall, well out of bounds while Wingull touched down on the ground without a scratch. Norman recalled his Spinda, an admission of his folly for using Encore.

"Congratulations, Star, that was a superb reversal." His words of praise lifted my spirits, until he released his next Pokemon, a slender and furry critter I wasn't familiar with. I quickly pulled out my Pokedex to scan it.

"Linoone, the Rushing Pokemon. It is exceedingly fast if it only has to run in a straight line. When it spots pond-dwelling prey underwater, it quickly leaps in and catches it with its sharp claws."

Wingull hopped back to my side of the arena before it took to the air again. Norman was remaining silent, his eyes closed. Linoone looked back at his owner, almost as confused as I was by his silence in the middle of a battle. I wasn't sure why, but I also wasn't about to let a pre-emptive strike go to waste.

"Wingull, Water Gun!"

Norman's eyes shot open. "Linoone, Tail Whip!"

Wingull swooped by Linoone, dropping the small globe of water on the Pokemon. However, Linoone made a swift turn, using his soft tail to bounce the globe right back at Wingull. Shocked by the attack, Wingull fell to the ground, wide open to further attack.

"Linoone, use Headbutt!"

"Wingull, fly up high again!"

Wingull wasn't able to recover fast enough, and was launched into the air by Linoone's headbutt. Before Wingull could even recover in midair, Norman continued the assault.

"Follow up with Fury Swipes!"

The slender Pokemon chased after Wingull into the air, claws bared. He slashed away at Wingull several times within the span of a few seconds, then delivered one final swipe that sent Wingull back to the ground. He was badly hurt, not to mention missing a number of feathers that were now stuck between Linoone's claws. He made an effort to get back into the air, but Norman wasn't finished quite yet.

"Finish with a Slash!"

"No!" I screamed out, my Pokeball aimed at Wingull. The beam connected with him just before Linoone's last attack struck him. He couldn't battle anymore, so why make him suffer more?

"Your next Pokemon, Star," Norman said coldly. I didn't want to jump to the conclusion that he was a sore loser, but that was the impression I was getting. I knocked out his Spinda so quickly, he decided to return the favor with interest. To keep this battle going in my favor, I called Beedrill next, another aerial fighter.

"Linoone, Sand-Attack!"

"Beedrill, Toxic Spikes!"

Both Pokemon launched their attacks at the same time. The sand Linoone kicked up managed to blind Beedrill completely, but it also managed to cover up the spikes he had released all around him. Unable to keep his balance, Beedrill fell back to the ground. He was wide open, but to strike him Linoone would have to go past the spikes. Figuring this decision would buy me a bit of time, I started brainstorming ways to get Linoone out of bounds as well, when Norman ordered his next attack.

"Linoone, Slash!"

Almost hesitantly, Linoone tried to jump over the sandy arena, but landed right on a few of the spikes, which dug into the Pokemon's paws. Despite this, he delivered on his command, a powerful swipe with his claw that knocked Beedrill out in one shot. I put Beedrill back in his Pokeball, and managed to catch Norman cracking a smirk. His Linoone was poisoned badly, but the battle was now in his favor, and he was liking it. I immediately released my next Pokemon, Smeargle.

"Smeargle, Flamethrower!"

Not even giving Linoone or Norman a chance to act, Smeargle waved his artistic tail, summoning a blast of flames that completely overtook Linoone. Between the poison and the burns, Linoone collapsed, and Norman was forced to return him. That smirk was gone again, as the battle was even once more. His next critter was Vigoroth, who had managed to win the battle the last time I was here. Fortunately, this time I was prepared.

"Vigoroth, use Focus Energy!"

"Smeargle, step over there," I yelled, pointing to the right hand corner of the arena on my side, "and use Sketch!"

It wasn't apparent at first, but the order for Smeargle to sidestep to the right was critical. The two critters mimicked each other it seemed, as they both began storing up energy for the next blow.

"Vigoroth, Focus Punch!"

"Smeargle, keep storing energy!"

The monkey like Pokemon began a mad dash towards Smeargle, while he just stood there, biding his time. My plan would probably knock both of them out of the battle, but I couldn't risk leaving Vigoroth standing. As Vigoroth passed over the sandy part of the arena, he slowed down slightly, the spikes from earlier that had been left by Beedrill still concealed. It was now or never.

"Smeargle, Flamethrower and don't budge!"

In a flash of magical paint, Smeargle blasted Vigoroth with the fiery attack, but it didn't stop the monkey from pressing onward. Vigoroth reeled back his fist as he pushed through the superheated flames, and delivered the devastating punch to Smeargle. As per my orders, Smeargle did his best to remain grounded, which in turn caused Vigoroth to crash right into him and send the two rolling just out of bounds.

By this point, Yunie wasn't sure when to cheer anymore. It may have looked like a failed plan, but it had panned out the way I wanted it to. Smeargle was out cold from the punch, while Vigoroth was still standing, if poisoned and burned quite badly. Not that it mattered, as he was now officially disqualified. Once both critters were put away, it was time for the final round. He released another unfamiliar Pokemon, while I decided to counter with Vulpix. I scanned the Pokemon to get some idea of what she'd be up against.

"Slaking, the Lazy Pokemon. Slaking spends all day lying down and lolling about. It eats grass growing within its reach. If it eats all the grass it can reach, this Pokemon reluctantly moves to another spot." As if to confirm this, the massive Pokemon let out a dangerous yawn, which got me yawning as well.

"Slaking, use Focus Energy!"

"Vulpix, Quick Attack!"

Slaking let out another loud yawn, but didn't follow through with the order given him. Instead, he just scratched his belly as Vulpix zoomed in for an easy attack. Granted, her attack didn't do much in the way of damage, but Slaking did nothing to prevent it either. How was it a Pokemon as energetic as Vigoroth could end up fat and lazy like this?

"Slaking, Focus Energy!"

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

She backed away a bit, and blasted Slaking with fire. This time, Slaking did a bit to prevent the damage by covering his face and chest with one of those massive arms. And again, he ignored Norman's command to scratch his belly and yawn. Something had to be wrong here, but that didn't stop me from going in for one more attack.

"Vulpix, Quick Attack again!"

"Slaking, Hammer Arm!"

Because she was so close, Vulpix's attack happened pretty much instantly. Again the damage was low, but it's what happened after that left me stunned. Finally, after all that time lounging about, Slaking made an effort to fight back. Using that same arm, he swung it at Vulpix with an unmeasurable force, so much so that I swear the point of contact between them must've lasted over a second. Vulpix, being much smaller than Slaking, was sent flying all the way to the ceiling, crashed into it, and crashing back down to the ground. Forgetting my place, I ran out into the arena to retrieve her.

"Vulpix! Are you okay?" My eyes were watery, and my heart was racing. She opened her eyes slightly, letting out a weak bark before licking my face. She was hurt badly, and needed to get to the Pokemon Center right away.

"This battle is over, Star. Your last Pokemon has fallen." Just as I was about to scoop Vulpix into my arms, Norman had declared his victory. I froze on the spot, defiant of this proclamation. I wouldn't let it all end like this.

"Yunie, I need a favor," I called out to my friend. She ran over to my side, and I picked Vulpix up.

"Take Vulpix to the Pokemon Center for me. I need to finish this battle." I carefully passed Vulpix to her.

"Finish the battle? But Star, he's already beaten all your Pokemon! Just let it go, and come with me to the center!" However, I just shook my head.

"Just go, okay? I'm not finished here."

Rather than fight me on the issue, Yunie quietly nodded and ran out of the gym. I walked back over to my end of the field, and turned to face Norman. He was just as perplexed as Yunie was over my claim.

"I'm sorry," I began, "for breaking the rules and stepping into the arena."

"Apology accepted, Star, but I don't see what else we have to do here. All your other Pokemon were knocked out or disqualified." With that, I smiled as I released Wingull once more. He was badly scratched up, but he was still on his feet, and within seconds in the air, if just barely.

"Wingull still has a bit of fight in him, Norman. Let's continue this battle."

"Star, I should end this battle right now. Your Pokemon cannot possibly hope to win in that condition." Norman's words were true, for the most part.

"You're welcome to forfeit. I won't be backing down." I myself could hardly believe the words coming out of my mouth. Norman sighed, and shook his head in my direction.

"Very well, you leave me no choice. Slaking, Flail!"

For the first time, that beastly Pokemon got up from the ground. Slowly it stomped towards Wingull, who was doing his best just to stay afloat. With every step Slaking took, my heart raced that much faster. What I was planning was a once in a lifetime deal. Slaking raised his arm as he prepared to deliver the final blow.

"Wingull, now! Use Roost!"

One strong flap, and Wingull just barely dodged Slaking's attack. The small bird landed on the Pokemon's head, taking the time to rest his body and regain his strength. Slaking, apparently overburdened by the extra weight, lost his balance and was forced to sit down. Norman himself couldn't believe what was happening.

"Slaking, finish that bird off! Flail!"

Rather than obey his master, Slaking just sighed, taking his time to rebuild his own energy before attacking. In the meantime, Wingull continued to rest and restore his health while sitting on Slaking's head.

"Slaking, Hammer Arm!"

"Wingull, Agility!"

Some of his strength back, Wingull took to the air again at newfound speeds. Meanwhile, Slaking remained on the floor, yawning loudly against Norman's orders. Now was Wingull's time to fight back.

"Wingull, Water Pulse!"

From above, Wingull unleashed a ring of water at a blinding speed, crashing into Slaking with enough force to leave the heavier Pokemon confused.

"Now, use Air Slash!"

"Slaking, snap out of it!"

Wingull flew up higher, and swooped down on Slaking, slicing through the Pokemon's belly enough to force it onto its back in pain. Just as I was about to order the next blow, I saw Wingull's entire body flash. Scrambling for my Pokedex, I just barely caught his most powerful ability and Pokemon Power.

Wingull started flying around in a circle above Slaking, gaining speed with every loop. Within seconds he practically disappeared as the wind itself became visible, forming a small tornado right in the middle of the arena. The force of the attack was enough to carry even Slaking into the air, where he was spun around several dozen time before being shot out of the tornado like a cannonball. Slaking smashed into a wall, cracking it all around him and just shy of taking the wall with him outside. The tornado dissipated, and Wingull touched down on the ground.

His Pokemon Power, Hurricane, as well as his evolved form's ability. Right after the battle was over, Wingull's entire body flashed again, this time as he evolved before my eyes. Though I admit his new form wasn't as adorable as the old one, I was all the same proud of my valiant critter. For starters, I scanned him into my Pokedex.

"Pelipper, the Water Bird Pokemon. It acts as a delivery service by carrying small Pokemon in its bill. It bobs on the waves to rest."

After a little impromptu celebration of my victory, I put Pelipper back in his Pokeball. Norman, who was still at a loss for words, silently handed me the badge I had worked so hard to obtain.

"Congratulations, Star, you've rightfully earned the Balancebadge. Let me just say, you handled your Pokemon like a true master, playing on their strengths and working around their weaknesses far more creatively than I'd ever have imagined. And one final thing..."

Without warning, Norman, bowed before me, which left me at a loss for words.

"My apologies for my actions during the match. I'm afraid I was lost in the heat of the moment, and made some rather aggressive commands when there was clearly no need for them. I'm also sorry about what I said after Vulpix was knocked out." By this point, my face was as red as Vulpix's fur.

"Oh god, you don't have to apologize- I mean, it was just a match and all!" When someone was wrong, it was of course right to apologize and seek forgiveness. Yet the fact that Norman heaped it all on me at the last second had me feeling terribly embarrassed for some reason. It wasn't until he gave me a smile that I started cooling down.

The smile of not only an honest, good trainer. But also a father; something entirely foreign to me.

~o~

I could hear a Pokemon in the distance cawing. The sun was setting, and I was standing outside the Pokemon Center. Again, I'd be parting ways with Yunie. But this time, it was on our terms.

"I'm afraid this might be the last time we meet, Star," she said, trying her best not to make eye contact, lest she break out into tears.

"I'm sure we'll find each other again on the road!"

"Doubt that, see, I'm headed back to Johto for a while. I know you'll probably keep trekking over Hoenn, and by the time you do come back I'll probably be gone again."

"What? Where to?"

"The Orre region, way out in the deserts across the ocean. I got a call from a Doctor Kaminko there, he's an old friend of the family. Said he could use a photographer for something or other, so I'll be moving out there for a while."

"Well, maybe I can visit?" Yunie just smiled at me, a tear starting to form in her eye.

"It's okay, Star. You don't have to worry about me bothering you ever again," she said, doing her best to hold back her sobs.

"Yunie? What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, I just- I just thought you always thought I was bothering you wherever we went." She did her best to calm herself down, but I just remained perfectly still. Suddenly, all those bad things I ever thought about her were amassing within me, wracking me with guilt. Could she have noticed it all those times we hung out together?

"I'm sorry," she said again, now perfectly calm, "I'm just not good at saying goodbye to a friend. My only real friend, that is."

This time, I moved in for a hug, also to hold back the tears. I so desperately wanted to apologize, to say I was sorry for ever thinking those things about her, when all she ever did for me was be a friend. I bit my tongue, though, when she finally pulled away.

"Enough of this mushy stuff, right? At least we got to have one last day together." She wiped away the last traces of tears, and turned around, starting for the west exit of town.

"Bye, Yunie! Be careful out there! Don't fall asleep under anymore trees!" I called out to her.

In the distance, she turned around and waved at me, right when she was just far enough away so I couldn't make out her eyes. No doubt she was doing her best to hide the tears. After all, had I not come looking for her, she could've left Hoenn without ever having to say goodbye. Yet in a way, this was better for us both.

Goodbye, Yunie. Maybe we'll meet again someday.


	61. Autumnal Festival

Autumnal Festival, Chapter 61

"Do be careful on your travels, Star! I hope to see you again!" As you can already guess, this was the standard farewell given by practically every Nurse Joy. I was once told they were all sisters, part of a big, happy and identical family. What if they were all clones?

"Thanks, I will," I said, strapping my belt of Pokeballs on my waist. I was back in Mauville City, two days after the events in the Petalburg Gym. A long road awaited me still, made longer still by the fact I didn't own a bike anymore. Still, one look at Vulpix's happy face at the prospect of more adventures made it all feel worthwhile. After all, you couldn't properly take in the sights zooming by on a bike!

My travel plan was to head north to Fortree City, a settlement nestled deep within the woods of Northeastern Hoenn. The journey would take a couple days on foot, so my first priority was stocking up on supplies. Mauville had a pretty beefy little market, despite the size, with everything a trainer on the move needed. This time I also made sure to pick up at least three Pokeballs, in case the opportunity presented itself to catch new critters. The battle with Norman was a close one, and I couldn't just keep relying on the same tactics nonstop. If I was going to at least participate in the Battle Frontier at the end of all this, I wanted to get past round one at the very least. I wasn't going to strive for champion, as I honestly didn't stand a chance.

When I got up to the front counter to pay, I watched intently as the clerk scanned each item before me. My gaze was fixated on the total, which continued to climb higher and higher with each item. From ¥3000 to ¥5000 and higher still. I was just about to ask him to stop scanning when he gave me the grand total.

"That'll be ¥6780, miss," he said politely, making my inability to pay all the more humiliating. I reached into my bag slowly, holding my purse inside as I counted what little money I had out of view. It just barely topped ¥3000. Swallowing hard, I looked back at the clerk, who was patiently waiting with a smile.

"Um, excuse me," I started, almost whispering to him, "what happens if I can't afford it all?"

"Well," he said, leaning in close and whispering in the same fashion, "I'd have to ask you to please return the items you cannot afford to their proper place in the store. Short a hundred or two?"

"More like four thousand," I corrected him sheepishly.

"Oh my, looks like you'll be putting a lot of things back on the shelves, then." At least he was being friendly about it all. He placed all the items back into the basket, and handed it to me. "I hope you'll visit us again soon."

Dejected, I went back into the aisles starting with the Pokeball section. When I reached down into the basket, my eye caught a glimpse of something rolling around inside my bag. I reached in to grab it, and my eyes shot wide open when I realized what it was. It was that golden nugget I found way back in Cherrygrove City! Ecstatic, I jumped right back in line, and within seconds I was standing in front of the clerk again.

"Welcome back to the Mauville City Mart," he said with a smile. "Manage to save up enough already?"

"I think so," I said, showing him the nugget. "Is this worth anything to sell?"

He took the nugget and examined it closely. After flipping through a book behind the register, he nodded and asked for the basket of items.

"We can discount ¥5000 from your total in exchange. Sound fair?"

"More than fair! Thank you very much!" With the nugget, the total dropped to just under ¥2000, which still left me a bit broke but stocked to the teeth with food and supplies for the trip. If those nuggets fetched a similar value in other shops, I'd make sure to keep an eye out for them next time I was in the mountains.

~o~

Route 118 was to the east of Mauville City, and if the Pokenav was to be believed, it was a short trip before turning north on Route 119. And for once, the Pokenav was right! The western end of Route 118 was surprisingly dull and devoid of any trainers. The real threat here was the mouth of a river that reached all the way to Fortree City, which cut into the road and forced trainers to swim across. As you're well aware, I can't swim, so I had Vaporeon surf me across. Pelipper carried Vulpix by air.

Once on the other side, things actually began to liven up. There were more trainers about, the usual fare when traveling, but quite a few of them were actually headed north. Ever the curious cat, I decided to ask the first person I could about what was going on.

"Excuse me, why are all these people going to Route 119?" The woman I had asked turned around, and I instantly recognized her. To my dismay, more than anything.

"Oh! If it isn't Star! Just who I wanted to see!" It was Gaby, and not too far off was her faithful cameraman Ty filming a Pokemon battle. I sighed, resigning myself to yet another interview. Gaby latched onto my shoulder, making sure I didn't run away like most other trainers she undoubtedly tried to interview, and called for Ty. Once the young man was set up to film, Gaby produced her microphone.

"Hello and welcome back to another edition of 'Eyes on Hoenn'. I'm Gaby, your trusty reporter, and today I have a trainer all of Hoenn recognizes and loves: Star! So Star, what brings you to Route 118? Are you on your way to the Autumnal Festival like many others?"

"Autumnal Festival? Is that what's going on?"

"Oh you kidder, you! Isn't she just adorable? Tell us, Star, no doubt you've heard about the various events at the festival, and their rewards! Share with us, are you aiming for the top prize Pokemon?" Gaby put the mic to my mouth again, eagerly awaiting a response. This wasn't the way I wanted to get my information, but I was sure to get it if I indulged her.

"Why, yes. Yes I am! I'm ready to battle for the best!"

"What fire! Well, you've seen it here on 'Eyes on Hoenn'. Be sure to tune in next time as we cover the Autumnal Festival LIVE! This is Gaby, signing off." Gaby stood frozen there for a few seconds with what looked to be a painful smile.

"And we're done. Great take, Gaby," said Ty as he turned off the camera. Gaby let go of that smile and massaged her cheeks.

"Thanks again, Star. I swear you're always around when I need a story the most." If by sheer coincidence in her favor. I felt Vulpix nudging at my legs; even she was eager to get away from Gaby.

"So what's the Autumnal Festival for?" With the interview complete, I was hoping I'd get a straight answer out of her. Vulpix noticed I was continuing the conversation, and whimpered.

"To celebrate the autumn season, of course! The Hoenn Weather Institute is holding it this year, which is strange considering what they've been through the past few weeks."

"Oh?"

"I'm amazed you didn't hear. Their lab was broken into by one of those teams: Lava? Water? Anyway, they made off with this rare breed of Pokemon that has power over the local weather, and they've been hurting to find a replacement ever since. The Hoenn Festival Committee was actually looking at Winona of Fortree City to host it, but they really wanted to do it to get their minds off of work for a day." Of course, the Pokemon Gaby was talking about was Castform, whom I had saved from Team Magma back in Meteor Falls.

"Oh, I see. Where's the festival being held?"

"Route 119, just outside the Institute building. Best get a move on, Star, it's quite a hike up there. Ty, load up the van, we're moving out!" As Gaby and Ty made for their vehicle just off to the side of the road, a lightbulb went off in my head.

"Hey, Gaby? Is it okay if I hitch a ride with you guys?"

"You want to ride in the back with all the equipment? There's no room for you up front."

"Sure, I'll ride in the back!" Of course, I was assuming the back had a somewhere to sit.

"Then sure thing. Let's move people, we have to get there before the other reporters!"

~o~

The van door slid open, and I fell out of the van face first into the cold grass. Vulpix followed after me, both of us carsick and bruised from bouncing around with all of Gaby's recording equipment. Had we been traveling on a steady road, it wouldn't have been as bad, but Route 119 wasn't paved. And rather than give me a helping hand, Gaby just shook her head at me.

"Honestly, Star, a young lady shouldn't be rolling around in the dirt like that!" Oh how I wanted to use a bad word at that moment, but I remembered my manners. Sucking it up, I got up from the ground and brushed away the dirt on my dress.

"Thank you for the ride," I said before turning away from Gaby. Any longer in her presence and I probably would've exploded.

"Anytime! Ty, hurry up! We could get a shot of them setting up the festival for tomorrow!"

Leaving those two behind, I wandered into the fairgrounds. It wouldn't be open until later that night, so most of the stalls were still being set up. Watching this process was entertainment in itself, actually; the scientists and researchers setting up obviously had no clue what they were doing for the most part. Amidst these scientists were people actually experienced in these activities, and they were setting up stalls three times as fast. I let Vulpix wander around for the time being, as there were other small critters playing nearby, and took a seat by the Weather Institute to watch.

Gaby was trying to get an interview with someone once she was set up, and like before, everyone was turning her down. As she got more and more frustrated, her gaze shifted towards me, and I knew what was to follow. Once she started towards me from the other end of the grounds, I got up and ran into the building to hide. Because most everyone was outside setting up for the festival, the institute was empty, and I was free to wander around. It was clearly not designed to be a museum, so the walls were bare and computer monitors outnumbered the places to sit. It was rather serene, with all the machines beeping in tandem, until Gaby entered. I quickly ducked under a desk to hide from her.

"Drat, I thought I saw her enter here," she said, looking around for me. Ty followed her in, making sure to get good shots of the institute while Gaby composed herself.

"Why don't we just do a bit on this place?" His suggestion almost insulted Gaby.

"Our ratings would plummet. Oh, Star! Where are you?" I remained silent under the desk, even going so far as to hold my breath. After a few moments, Gaby sighed and gave up.

"Fine, we'll do a bit on this place. You get some good shots?" Ty nodded, and signaled for Gaby to start talking. She took a deep breath and put on her biggest fake smile.

"Welcome back to 'Eyes on Hoenn'. This time, we'll be discussing the Weather Institute here on Route 119, which has chosen to host the Hoenn Autumnal Festival this year. As you know, keeping track of Hoenn's weather is an important job, and the scientists here are always the first to learn of any anomalies that may pose a threat to the residents of the island region." Gaby walked over to a random computer screen.

"As you can see here, this is just one of the dozens of computers constantly at work making heads or tails of the information gathered by the institute. I'm no meteorologist, but from what I can gather, there's been some rough weather on Route 127, just south of Mossdeep City. To all my viewers in the area, Gaby wishes you the best of luck, and hope the bad tidings pass soon. That's all for this mini-session of 'Eyes on Hoenn'. I'll see you guys later tonight for a special LIVE coverage of the festival. 'Till next time!"

"And... we're done," Ty said, shutting the camera off. Gaby sighed and gave him a pat on the shoulder.

"Maybe I should retire this gig, I just can't do it anymore. Let's get back outside, see if any of those eggheads wants an interview now."

Once they were out of the building, I was finally able to crawl out from under the desk. I walked over to the monitor Gaby was using for the recording, and looked at the screen. Indeed, the area just under Mossdeep City was flashing red, and that never meant anything good. My curiosity satisfied, I went to the glass door to peek outside. Gaby was still lurking about, so I decided to hide out in the institute until later that evening. I also caught a glimpse of Vulpix, who was happily playing around with a Caterpie and Venonat in the middle of the fairgrounds.

~o~

"Excuse me, miss?" The voice shook me gently, rousing me from my nap. I stretched my body a bit before I opened my eyes, looking straight at a middle-aged man in a lab coat.

"I'm sorry," I said, trying to hold in a yawn, "I must've fallen asleep. What time is it?"

"Just past nine. The festival started a while ago, in case you were planning on visiting." The man gave me a hand in getting up off the ground. I looked down at where I was napping, and saw Vulpix curled up next to where I was. She must've tired herself out playing with those other Pokemon.

"Um, is it okay if Vulpix stays here? I don't want to wake her up."

"Sure thing, we'll be closing the door, anyway, Feel free to leave your bag, too. It's safe with us."

Taking the man's advice, I left not only my bag, but also the rest of my Pokemon next to Vulpix. I grabbed my purse, naturally, despite it being rather light. Suddenly all those supplies I bought felt like a waste compared to the fun I could've had spending at the festival. All the same, I stepped out of the institute, and into a completely different world.

In the dark of night, the festival was a sight to behold. Lights of all colors adorned the paths, and all sorts of people walked up and down the path of stalls, indulging in the activities offered. One of the people walking down the path seemed familiar at a distance from her dress. Curious, I caught up to her, and now up close, I could almost be certain it was one of the Kimono Girls from Ecruteak City.

"Excuse me," I said, tapping on her shoulder. She turned to face me.

"My goodness! If it isn't Star, was it? How pleasant to see you again!"

"I know! You're Miki, right?" She smiled and nodded.

"Indeed. My sisters and I were so worried about you, after what happened at the Burned Tower. Why did you leave so suddenly?"

"It's a long story," I chuckled. "Anyway, what brings you to Hoenn?"

"Well, after the incident at the tower, the police and media were all over Ecruteak for Giovanni. We decided to close the theatre for a while, until the media craze died down. We all went our separate ways, and I just happened to end up here in Hoenn."

"But wasn't that like more than a month ago already? Don't you think you should head back?" It was amazing how time flew. Miki shook her head, smiling.

"The theatre won't open again until all of us are back. And between us," she said, leaning in close, "I don't want to go back quite yet."

"Trust me, I can relate." Since my return home after my Kanto journey, I hadn't shown my face anywhere near Pallet Town. Somehow, I had a feeling if I ever went back, I'd find myself chained there. If not by Mom, by an attraction to Deneb. Wait... scratch that last one, you didn't hear that!

"Well, care to accompany me during the festival? It's always more fun with a friend, you know."

"Of course!"

And so I accompanied Miki, which in itself was a good and bad thing. I was happy to have someone to partake in the festival with, but because of her attire, many of the other people there approached us throughout the course of the night with questions. Where was she from? What kind of outfit was that? Did she have a boyfriend? Would she have a friendly Pokemon battle? And each time she was asked something, Miki would stop in her tracks and answer most politely. In turn, I'd be forced to wait around, so most of the time we were together, I was actually watching other people play the little games set up around us.

"I'm dreadfully sorry, Star," she said to me after the ninth person asked her about her kimono, "I'm not being much of a friend tonight, are I?"

"No, it's okay," I replied, not wanting to be mean about it. "What you're wearing is pretty rare and nice to look at. I guess it's only natural you'd get asked."

"Strange, though. Hoenn used to have a much richer culture, no different than Johto. I would think there are still some places here that wouldn't find my kimono so foreign."

"Guess time changes things. Now everyone on Hoenn seems to be more interested in watching TV and seeing what Gaby the reporter has to say about it all." From the corner of my eye, I could tell my statement had downed Miki's spirits. I sighed, suddenly feeling down myself. We were in the middle of a festival, and we were talking about culture and history. Determined to snap us out of the funk, I clapped my hands loudly.

"Well, how about we play one of these games? I don't have much money, but I can treat you to one."

Miki smiled at me. "I'd like that. In return, I'll treat you to something to eat. Agreed?"

I nodded, and looked around for something to play. Most of the little games looked to be of the money-making sort; that is, they were designed against the player so the shopkeeper could make a killing. I was no stranger to festivals, as Mom would take me up to Viridian City for yearly events back when I was still living in Pallet. After a few minutes of searching, I spotted one stall that was set up quite out of the way, by the river, actually. Curious, I grabbed Miki's hand and led her to it, where the person tending the stall was instantly eager to receive a customer.

"Welcome! It's only ¥200 for a chance to fish out a rare Pokemon from the river!" The man offered us both fishing rods. Miki took it with a smile, but I hesitated slightly. The last time I went fishing, the Pokemon that latched on dragged me in and quite a ways upstream.

"Um, isn't this a bit..." I struggled to find the right word, one that wouldn't have me calling the man a money-grubbing scam artist. "You're charging us to fish in the river?"

"I'm charging for the distinct privilege to fish in this river with one of my very own, patent-pending Ultra Deluxe Rods!" The man pointed to the name sloppily painted on the rod in his hand. I wasn't impressed.

"What guarantee is there we'll fish anything out at this time of night? And how do you know it'll be rare? It's a river!" I actually couldn't believe how I was acting, but I couldn't stop myself either.

"Do try and lighten up, Star. Aren't we here to enjoy the festival?" Miki smiled.

I sighed, taking the rod from the man. After forking over the cost for borrowing the rod, he handed us each a few pieces of bait. After hooking it at the end of the rods, we both cast our lines out into the river. As you could imagine, there wasn't much to be had at that time of night.

"Star," Miki whispered into my ear, "I don't want to be rude, but isn't this a bit... well, boring?"

"I agree," I said loudly, before looking over to the man, "this is boring! I want my-"

At that instant, both our lines were yanked by something. Miki was so startled, she let go of the rod, which was taken by the Pokemon into the river. The man went into a panicked frenzy, while I tried to reel in whatever had bitten my hook. As Miki worked out an arrangement with the man to pay off the rod, I continued to struggle against the Pokemon in the water.

"A little help here, please!" I could feel myself getting dragged closer and closer into the river. Miki grabbed onto me, which stopped me in my tracks. For a moment. Before long, we were both being dragged into the river. This time, the man called out for help, while he grabbed onto Miki and started pulling us both away from the river.

Naturally, at the cry for help, many of the visitors ran to the stall. No one did anything to help us, but that didn't matter at that point. Whatever was trying to pull away had finally been reeled in, and in one swift motion, we pulled it out of the river. It wasn't just one Pokemon, but over a dozen or more, all bunched up around the hook fighting to take the bait. The mass of Pokemon landed on top of us, and instantly it became mayhem.

"Catch those Pokemon!" Someone called out.

Instantly, Pokeballs started flying at us, everyone desperate to capture one of the free Pokemon flopping about in the grass. The guy in charge of the stall scrambled to it, and gave us each a Pokeball. Without thinking twice, I threw it out into the mess of fish, hoping I'd catch something. It took a few seconds only, but the chaos died down, with most of the Pokemon now trapped in Pokeballs, and what fish remained had flopped back into the river. Now came the truly hectic part: sorting out the Pokeballs' owners.

~o~

"That was certainly exhilarating, wouldn't you say?" The commotion had died down, and Miki had indeed treated to something to eat, as agreed. I wasn't sure what it was, but it was fried and tasted really good.

"Exhausting is more like it," I replied with a sigh. As you'd no doubt expect, every trainer in the area started fussing over which Pokeball was which. It got so bad, the scientists from the Institute had to step in and help sort the mess out. Every Pokeball that was recovered was taken back to the building to be identified by the trainer ID number. At least one of those Pokeballs was to be numberless, as the Pokeball given to me by the man at the stall was clean and unmarked. I'll spare you the details, and just say that the scientists were working on handing back the Pokeballs to their rightful owners.

"I'm almost sad I didn't throw my Pokeball into the crowd," Miki said giggling. "But in all that commotion, I wasn't sure what to do."

"I wonder what I caught," I said, trying to remember the kinds of Pokemon that were pulled out. The majority of them were Magikarp and Tentacool, rather common critters of the sea. There were a few others, but being Hoenn Pokemon I couldn't say what kinds they were.

"You're about to find out. The head scientist just came out of the Institute."

I disposed of my trash, and ran up to the crowd surrounding the man. He started calling out ID numbers, and slowly the crowd began to dissolve back into the festival as people collected their Pokemon. I had to wait for the last Pokeball, being unmarked.

"I take it this last one is yours?" He handed me the Pokeball. Though I was eager to see what I had caught, I knew I had to label it as my own, as per league rules. That also meant I had to send one of my Pokemon to the PC Storage again.

"Thank you, sir. Is it okay if I go inside to collect my things?"

"Certainly. Follow me." The man led the way, and I grabbed Miki's hand so she could go inside as well.

Vulpix was still asleep, so I decided not to make too much noise as I fumbled around my bag for my trainer card. After registering the Pokeball to my name, I sent back Ariados to the storage. Now that the Pokemon inside was rightfully mine, I quickly opened the Pokeball to see just what I had caught. The critter inside was certainly...

"Oh my, it's hideous!" Miki pretty much summed it up. Even I was taken aback by the foul critter I had caught. It was a dull brown color, marked all over with darker spots that looked like it hadn't washed in weeks. And despite being out of water, it looked perfectly fine. I scanned the... thing.

"Feebas, the Fish Pokemon. It is a shabby and ugly Pokemon. However, it is very hardy and can survive on little water." And judging my the abilities it was capable of, it wouldn't be of much use in battle. Feeling bad, I put the Pokemon back in its Pokeball. There were plenty of computers around, so it was still possible to get Ariados back.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to come out the way it did."

"It's okay, I felt the same way," I told Miki. "I don't want to just throw him back into the river, though. I'll hold onto him, maybe he'll grow on me?"

"And if he does, Star, you'll have a bigger heart than I. I don't think I've ever been so repulsed by a Pokemon in all my life."

I chuckled slightly. "Least it was fun to catch him, right?"

"Indeed. Now, I'm afraid it's time for me to be going, Star." Miki rose from the floor.

"Where? It's the middle of the night, and Fortree City is still a few hours away."

"Oh don't worry about me, I know how to get around even at this hour. Farewell, Star, I hope we see each other again soon. It has been a most enjoyable and memorable experience."

Miki gave me a polite bow, and walked out of the Institute. It was certainly abrupt, but I couldn't exactly force her to stay, either. I sighed, and yawned for the first time all night, as well. Right at that moment, the middle-aged scientist from earlier arrived with a pillow and blanket.

"There's a couch on the second floor you can use for the night. Wouldn't want you wandering around at this hour." He handed me the items, and pointed out the staircase.

"Thank you, sir. I wasn't sure where I'd stay tonight."

"Don't you worry about it. Feel free to turn in at your leisure."

Standing there, in the empty room surrounded by computers, I smiled. No matter where, I was always extended a helping hand. Though grateful, I sometimes felt like a burden to those around me. I picked up my things, and then Vulpix, who still didn't wake up, and marched upstairs. A comfy couch awaited me, as did my dreams.


	62. High Flying Winona

High-Flying Winona, Chapter 62

The rest of the road towards Fortree City was scenic from the Institute. Plenty of tress, wildlife, a great view of the entire river from atop a large boulder on the side of the road. The fact that most of the trees in the area were already yellow going on red only made the route that much more beautiful. Even Vulpix seemed to have a taste for the beauty of it all, as she barked towards the river.

"It is beautiful, right girl?" I scratched behind her ears. Just to my right was the river, and a thought occurred to me. I pulled Feebas's Pokeball from my belt, staring at it for the longest time. I could release him here, and allow him to go back to his old life as if my capturing him never happened. I reached out my hand over the river, my thumb on the release button. That was when Vulpix lightly scratched at my leg.

"Don't worry, Vulpix," I said, taking my thumb off the button. "I can't do it."

I pulled back, looking down at the Pokeball. Ugly though he was, he was still my Pokemon, and I'd never forgive myself if I abandoned him -or her, for all I knew- because of appearance. I tried to think of what Mom would say to me:

"Goodness, Star! Why'd you get such an ugly fish?" I shook my head, trying to think more like a Mom.

"Goodness, Star! You could've picked a better looking fish!"

I laughed to myself, which confused Vulpix. Had it been so long, that I didn't know what Mom would say? Or was I just not mom material yet? I put the Pokeball back on my belt, and daringly jumped down off the boulder, which was a few feet high. Once Vulpix was down as well, we continued towards Fortree City.

"Don't worry, girl," I said to her. "I'll never abandon one of my friends. Never ever."

~o~

"Well, we're here," I said, double checking my Pokenav. "According to this thing, we're in Fortree City."

I looked around, seeing only large piles of fallen leaves and thick tree trunks. Confused, I asked Vulpix to look around while I examined the Pokenav further. Could it be wrong? Or could I have taken a wrong turn? Thing was, there was no other turn to take, it was a rather straightforward road from Route 119 to here. I heard Vulpix barking, so I turned off the Pokenav and decided to look with my own eyes. She was standing by a tree trunk, scratching at a rope ladder dangling beside it.

"Don't tell me..." My voice trailed off. I picked up Vulpix and told her to hang onto my bag, which I swung around to my back and started climbing. When I reached the top, I finally saw Fortree City with my own eyes. Nestled among the trees, small houses made up the entire town. The houses were connected by narrow rope bridges, though there wasn't anyone walking around. I guess I could see why not; wouldn't want to wear out those bridges.

"Be careful, Vulpix, wouldn't want to fall down." Vulpix jumped off my bag, and ran down one of the rope bridges to explore. If the entire town was up here in the trees, that meant the gym had to be here as well. Walking slowly across the rope bridges, I kept a sharp lookout for the gym, though I found myself getting more and more distracted by the sights. Unlike every other city I'd ever visited on my travels, nothing had been as grand as this one.

From afar, I could hear Vulpix barking again, so I picked up the pace and met up with her on the other side of town. A flight of stone steps climbed higher into the sky from there, up to some sort of manmade structure built on top of the thickest and tallest tree in the forest.

"Well, if this isn't the gym, I don't know what else it could be." I took the first step, and Vulpix followed close. After only a few steps I started crawling up instead, my fear of taking a tumble to my doom growing the higher up I went. I was certain this gym leader would be using flying types.

Once I had reached the top, I looked around, seeing only an empty arena. By this point, it didn't surprise me, to be honest. I was certain the gym leader was off having tea or something of that nature instead of tending to her duty. And climbing back down to the city was out of the question for me.

"Doesn't any gym leader in Hoenn ever just wait for their challengers to come knocking?"

"Some of us have other matters to attend to," came a voice from behind me. Startled, I jumped away from the entrance, and looked upon the owner of the voice. She was oddly dressed in some sort of jumpsuit, with a pair of goggles resting on her head. Her lavender hair was poking out from the sides over her ears, making it look as if she had wings on her head.

"You're the gym leader here?"

"I am, and you're Star, correct?" I was left a bit stunned.

"H-How did you know my name?"

"I've seen you on TV, and I saw you last night at the festival. You're the girl who pulled up that giant catch of Pokemon from the river, right?" I nodded, though the only thing going through my mind at the time was how did I miss her at the festival dressed like that?

"Y-Yeah, that was me. Um, I've come-"

"To challenge me for a badge, I know. Keep talking to yourself like that and everyone's bound to know your every intention." She strolled past me, walking lofty the entire time, as if trying to keep her feet on the ground. Or trying especially hard to keep them off the ground.

"So, we can battle now?"

"Of course, I've nothing else to do today. My name is Winona, by the way."

Winona took her place on the far side of the arena, atop a booth overlooking the arena. There was a similar booth for me, so I climbed up to it and prepared for the battle. The arena consisted of the entire structure, so one misstep could spell that Pokemon's doom.

"Alright, Star, let me explain the rules of my gym. We will each be allowed to use three Pokemon. There is limited ground to move on, so any Pokemon that can't fly will be at a disadvantage, to be sure. Also, despite there being clear marks on the field, the bounds rule does not apply to this battle; so long as your Pokemon doesn't fall into the forest, the sky's the limit! Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I do." What I understood was that the rules were entirely in her favor. Still, I was the challenger here, so it was up to me to beat her regardless of the obstacles. Despite all these conditions, Winona's first Pokemon was a large brown Pokemon, covered in leaves. You know the drill: Pokedex time!

"Tropius, the Fruit Pokemon. It flies by flapping its broad leaves. The bunch of fruit that grows around its neck is deliciously sweet. In the spring, it scatters pollen from its neck."

"That thing can fly? No way," I said to myself in disbelief. Tropius was a good six feet tall, and looked rather heavy.

"Come on, Star! You're here to battle, right?"

"Well, it's a grass type as well, so Vulpix, why don't you take him on?" Vulpix nodded, and jumped down to the arena.

"Her! Tropius is a girl!" Winona corrected me from the far side of the field. Once Vulpix was in place, Winona pressed a button on her platform, which sounded a loud whistle. The battle was on.

"Tropius, fly up high and ready your Solar Beam!"

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

To my amazement, the half dozen leaves on Tropius's back started flapping, and propelled the massive critter into the air. It didn't manage to get very far, though, when Vulpix ran up under her and let loose her Flamethrower attack. A direct hit, Tropius caught on fire and was forced back to the ground, badly burned. That was just too easy!

"Tropius, use Synthesis!"

Tropius's body began to glow, and instantly the wounds all over her body began to vanish before my eyes. Before I let my awe get the better of me, I continued the battle.

"Vulpix, use Flamethrower one more time!"

"Tropius, Sunny Day!"

Vulpix blasted the grass type again with her flames, but this time Tropius managed to dodge the blow entirely by launching herself into the air. She continued to fly higher and higher, until she stopped to flap her massive leaf-wings towards the sky. Clearing up the clouds, she revealed the sun over the arena, instantly warming things up around us. A welcome bit of warmth, I might add.

"Now, use Solar Beam again!"

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

Expecting Tropius to be left wide open as she charged, Vulpix jumped as high into the air as she could, and blasted the grass type with fire again. However, Tropius countered with Solar Beam, which overpowered her flames and managed to strike Vulpix dead on, crashing her into the ground. The damage wasn't severe, allowing Vulpix to recover rather quickly.

"Tropius, Solar Beam again!"

"Vulpix, get out of the way!"

Tropius instantly charged and fired her beam attack again, narrowly missing Vulpix on the ground. Being so close to direct sunlight was allowing Tropius to use Solar Beam without penalty. What's worse, while Tropius was in the air, Vulpix was at a severe disadvantage. Winona continued to order Solar Beam attacks, and Vulpix kept dodging them, but it was clear that her energy was quickly draining. She wouldn't be able to avoid those attacks for much longer.

"Vulpix, return!" My order caused even Tropius to stop firing. No longer in danger, Vulpix slowly walked back to my side.

"Giving up, Star? Or do you plan to finally do battle in the skies?" Though I did have a few flying Pokemon with which to combat Winona, I had to keep playing to type advantages. There was one Pokemon on my team that would turn the tables on this battle. I picked out his Pokeball, and threw it onto the field.

"Ooh, a Vaporeon? You're making this too easy, Star! Tropius, Solar Beam!"

"Vaporeon, dodge and use Aurora Beam!"

Tropius fired her beam first, which Vaporeon nimbly dodged just before it struck with a sidestep. He followed up with the Aurora Beam, which ascended much quicker, despite thinning out a bit by the time it struck Tropius. Because of the growing heat, Vaporeon's attack, being ice type, wasn't at full strength.

"Tropius, dive in close and sweep him away with Razor Leaf!" About time she had a change of tactics.

"Vaporeon, guard yourself with Bubblebeam!"

Vaporeon spun around in a circle, creating a barrier of bubbles. Regardless, Tropius swooped in much closer, doing corkscrews in midair to fire dozens of small leaves at Vaporeon. The barrier of bubbles was eliminated, but each time with a bright flash of light, just as I expected.

"Vaporeon, Quick Attack and grab onto Tropius!"

Vaporeon jumped right through the explosions, tackling Tropius in the side while biting onto one of her leaf-wings. Tropius ascended back into the air, trying to shake off Vaporeon the entire time.

"Tropius, knock him loose with Sweet Scent!"

"Vaporeon, Aurora Beam now!"

Tropius started releasing a pink cloud of fragrance around herself, while Vaporeon let go just before breathing in any of it. His Aurora Beam was off just slightly, striking Tropius's leaf-wings more than her body. However, this proved far more effective, as those leaves started to freeze over, and Tropius began descending herself.

"Vaporeon, finish with Aurora Beam!"

Unable to dodge the blow, and with the sun finally starting to lose strength because of growing cloud cover, Tropius took the full force of the ice attack. By the time she touched back down, she was knocked out entirely. Winona called back Tropius, and prepared her next critter.

"Congratulations, Star. That was quite the battle strategy," she complimented me. I laughed a bit, since she didn't realize it was more lucky circumstance than actual planning of my own. She released her second Pokemon, which was an actual bird Pokemon this time. Upon its release, I noticed a faint glint on its feathers, telltale sign it was a special, shiny Pokemon.

"Swellow, the Swallow Pokemon. It circles the sky in search of prey. When it spots one, it dives steeply to catch the prey."

"Alright, Swellow, Aerial Ace!"

"Vaporeon, use Aurora Beam!"

Yeah, it may seem like I'm really spamming that move, but being flying types, they were all weak to ice. Expecting this to end faster because there was nothing to weaken Vaporeon's attack, I was shocked when he wasn't able to actually use the ability on Swellow. The bird Pokemon came in at such an incredible speed, from across the arena, to strike Vaporeon dead on.

"Vaporeon, get up and try Aurora Beam again!"

"Swellow, Hyper Beam!"

Swellow stopped at a hover just ahead of Vaporeon. My blue critter regained his posture and launched his attack, which was countered at the same time by Swellow's Hyper Beam. The two energy attacks clashed in midair, creating a bubble of raw energy that blew up like a balloon before exploding and covering the field. A cold wind blew past me, and I looked out to the field to see what had happened. Vaporeon was still standing, though partially frozen to the ground. Swellow, on the other hand, was down on the floor, covered in icicles and immobile. Without saying a word, Winona called back Swellow, and released her final Pokemon.

"Altaria, Dragon Breath!"

"Vaporeon, get out of there!"

Unfortunately, Vaporeon was completely trapped by the ice, and was covered in Altaria's dreadful green attack. After it was over, Vaporeon fell over, defeated and paralyzed. I recalled him, and took the opportunity to scan this new Pokemon.

"Altaria, the Humming Pokemon. It hums in a beautiful soprano voice. It flies among white clouds in the blue sky. It launches intensely hot fireballs from its mouth." I experienced that last part firsthand.

"Well, Star? Care to release a Pokemon to battle Altaria?" Vaporeon would've been my best bet, as ice was the only means I had for taking out flyers and dragons. Any flying types of my own couldn't hope to take on Altaria in the air, so I had to come up with a new plan. I needed time to study Altaria's moves, so I asked Vulpix to enter the battle again.

"Vulpix, start with Will-O-Wisp!"

"Altaria, Cotton Guard!"

Vulpix unleashed the dark flames upon Altaria, but the flying Pokemon seemed to ward them off without issue using those fluffy cloud wings. If it could do away with fire that easily, I'd be in big trouble.

"Altaria, use Mist!"

The blue critter took to circling the sky, releasing a soft, white veil that obscured it from view. This would make attacking it much more difficult, but I had to keep trying until I could decide what Pokemon to use against her.

"Vulpix, use Ember and cover as much ground as possible!"

Vulpix ran around in a similar circle, only in the opposite direction, releasing small flames all over the field. However, not a single one of them seemed to connect. Altaria had been out of view for a while now, making both of us equally nervous as to Winona's next move.

"Altaria, Take Down!"

"Vulpix, dodge it!"

Though she tried, there was no way Vulpix could dodge something she couldn't see. Altaria came from behind, slamming Vulpix into the ground and dragging her a small ways towards my end of the field. Altaria had taken some damage from the attack herself, but was able to get up and walk away from the scene without difficulty.

"Vulpix! Are you okay?" She got up from the ground, battered up a bit, and barely able to walk. She was out of the question for further battling. "Thanks, girl, take a good rest!"

"That's two down, Star! Pick your last Pokemon!" I looked down at my belt, split between Pelipper and Beedrill. Either would have a hard time handling Altaria's speed and ability in the air, making this next decision all the more important. As my mind raced to make the best decision, Winona grew impatient and yelled out again.

"Star! Pick a Pokemon now or you forfeit!" In my haste, I picked a Pokeball, and threw it out without thinking. The critter to be chosen was Smeargle, which while not the Pokemon I wanted certainly ended up a better selection over Feebas.

"Finally! Let's end this, shall we? Altaria, Dragon Breath!" A lightbulb went off in my head.

"Smeargle, watch out!"

The small painter ran out of the way, just barely dodging the green breath attack.

"Now, use Sketch!"

Taking his tail in his hand, Smeargle swashed a mess of green paint into the air, which emulated Altaria's attack right back at her. It struck the Pokemon directly in the back as she swung around for another pass at Smeargle. What's more, the attack seemed to have paralyzed Altaria.

"Snap out of it, Altaria! Use Take Down!"

"Smeargle, Dragon Breath again!"

Altaria fought off the paralysis, taking a sharp nosedive towards Smeargle. The white Pokemon on the ground took his tail in his hand, swashing more green paint before him to release another breath attack. Altaria, unable to react quick enough to evade it, was struck head on. Smeargle then jumped out of the way, allowing Altaria to crash into the ground at full pelt, reversing the damage right back at herself. When the dust settled, Altaria was knocked out cold.

"I-I don't believe it!" Was all Winona could say. Seeing his victory, Smeargle began cheering, which in turn caused both myself and Vulpix to cheer as well.

~o~

"You've earned the Featherbadge, Star," Winona informed me, as she handed me the small badge. It was shaped more like a wing than a feather, though.

"Thanks, Winona." I promptly pinned it onto my trainer card, right next to Norman's Balancebadge.

"Looking to get into the Pokemon League?"

"No, I'm not," I said, getting tired of being asked the same question over and over. "I am on my way to the Battle Frontier, though."

"Are you now? Well, I have a feeling you'd do well there. You're a lot luckier than you look, not to mention downright clever. Gotta be careful, though: the trainers at the Battle Frontier aren't cakewalks. Many of them could easily top even gym leaders without breaking a sweat."

"Don't worry, I'm not going to win the top prize or anything. I was invited by Roxanne, so that's why I'm going."

"Oh, she did, did she? Mind showing me how?"

"Um, sure?" I dug around my bag, looking for the pamphlet Roxanne had given me with her information. I showed it to Winona, who promptly ripped it in two before my very eyes.

"H-Hey! What'd you do that for!?" I watched as she let the pieces be taken away by the wind.

"Here, from me." She produced a card from her pocket, and handed it to me. It bore the design of the frontier, like the one I had seen back in Fallarbor Town, as well as an image of the Featherbadge.

"What is this?"

"It's a special card that grants me VIP access to the island. Show that when you get there, and you'll not only be allowed into the frontier, but also escorted to the gym leaders' lounge. Poor little Roxanne just doesn't have the clearance to get you in all the way."

"Oh, well, thanks...?" I put the card into my bag, but I was still not sure why Winona had done that. Was there more history between herself and Roxanne, like there was with Flannery? My questions seemed to be written on my face.

"Let me take a wild guess: Flannery mention something about Roxanne?" My eyes widened.

"Well, she did say something about their past," I mumbled.

"Typical, that girl can't get over it," she said with her hand on her forehead. "Tell you what, I'll share the entire story once we meet up at the frontier. Trust me, you'll want to hear it."

"Okay, if you say so." Honestly, by that point, I didn't want to have anything to do with this little triangle anymore.

"Now, I'll join you down to the Pokemon Center. Where're you headed next?"

"Oh, Lilycove City! A friend of mine is waiting for me there." And a shopping spree, something I chose not to add.

"That's great!"

Along the way down, Winona shared some neat tidbits about the city, which I made sure to make notes about in my head. Now that the battle was over, we were talking just like old friends, which put my mind at ease. It was like talking to a whole different person.


	63. Spirits of Mt Pyre

Spirits of Mt Pyre, Chapter 63

I took a big bite out of my sandwich, much to the envy of Vulpix. After having my Pokemon treated at the center, I said my farewells to Winona and the local Joy, setting off for Lilycove City at last. Routes 120 and 121 were between the two cities, but it was alright in my book. Unlike the western side of Hoenn, these routes were calm and serene. How else was I able to take a break in the middle of Route 120 to enjoy a late lunch? After another bite, Vulpix's pleas for a nibble got the better of me.

"One bite only," I warned her, without reason. The second the sandwich was offered, she promptly snatched the entire thing out of my hand and ran off with it.

"Vulpix! Get back here!" I yelled after her.

The small fox stopped a short ways down the road, turning to face me before she devoured what was left my lunch. I would've scolded her for that, but fortunately I had another in my bag to enjoy. I looked out over Route 120 as I ate, it being one of the few roads in Hoenn that sloped down. Several bridges crossing over small lakes were ahead of me, and I could see a number of people on them. Fishermen, mainly, all trying to catch Pokemon for their collection. The last critter I fished out of a river, Feebas, stayed behind in the storage system. I said I wouldn't leave him behind, but I sure wasn't going to carry around a Pokemon that couldn't contribute to the team. To replace him, I chose Clefairy, whom had suffered most of my journey locked away in the storage system. Bug types wouldn't get me very far anymore, so I had to start looking into new ways to do battle.

And what better way to do that than to participate in a practice bout? That idea firmly rooted in my mind, I gobbled up the last trace of that sandwich and jumped to my feet. Vulpix rejoined my side, no longer fearing repercussions for eating my food, and we set off. Rather than hide out amidst the tall grass, we proudly strolled through the middle of the road, begging for a Pokemon battle challenge. Thus we were granted our wish, from a boy dressed in a black get up that reminded me of Koga.

"You are a Pokemon Trainer, right?" He kept his face covered with a mask. I found it adorable, especially considering he was somehow shorter than me!

"That I am!" I offered my hand to the boy, who was left a bit stunned by the gesture. "I'm Star, and you are?"

"Um... Keigo," he muttered, his confidence lost.

"Well, nice to meet you, Keigo!" Because he didn't take my hand, I instead ruffled his hair a bit, like any adult would do a kid. He didn't take kindly to it, either.

"I challenge you to the Pokemon battle!"

"Oh, good! I was looking for someone to battle!" I picked out Clefairy's Pokeball from my belt, and took a few steps back. "Ready when you are, Keigo!"

Keigo dropped his Pokeball, releasing a purple Pokemon I hadn't seen in quite some time: a Koffing. I showed off my Pokeball chucking skills, and released Clefairy, who for the first time in a long while was able to breathe in free air. Her slight confusion was to be expected: last time she was out, it was still summer. Still, once her eyes locked with the Koffing, she knew what had to be done.

"Koffing, start with Sludge!"

"Clefairy, Doubleslap!"

Koffing hovered slightly higher in the air, taking aim before coughing up a glob of black spit at Clefairy. She was able to avoid it easily by bouncing around, almost like a balloon. She closed in on Koffing, and delivered a pair of slaps in quick succession, knocking the Pokemon back a ways. Koffing shook off the attack, and the battle continued.

"Koffing, Smokescreen!"

The purple critter belched out thick smoke from every pore on its body, clouding the battlefield and blinding not only myself, but Clefairy as well.

"Clefairy, Sing!"

I still couldn't see her, but I heard Clefairy break into a serene lullaby. The power of her voice was lulling even Vulpix to sleep, so Koffing should also fall within seconds. I kept my ears wide open, waiting to hear something. It came in the form of a thunk, as if something hit the ground. That was my cue.

"Clefairy, find Koffing and drag him out of that smoke!"

"Koffing, wake up and use Smog!"

Both our voices entered the smoke-covered field, but there was no way to tell what was going on inside. All the time I was praying for some kind of breeze to come along and clear the field, but the wind was at a standstill. After a few tense moments, Clefairy came out of the smoke, dragging a sleeping Koffing behind her.

"Alright! Now, use Wake-Up Slap!"

Clefairy reeled back for a powerful attack, then delivered a charged slap that sent Koffing spinning around in place. The Pokemon was awake again, but the attack had done considerable damage, making it hard for Koffing to get up again.

"Koffing, take her with you! Self-Destruct!" My eyes widened. Keigo was crazy to be using a move like that!

"Clefairy! Uh..." my voice trailed off for a moment. Even if Clefairy was able to land one more hit on Koffing, the explosion would still inflict considerable damage on her. I had to avoid it. "Use Minimize!"

As Koffing's body began to glow, Clefairy waved her little fingers around in a circular pattern. Instantly she shrunk down to a fraction of her size, almost as small as a pebble! Koffing stored up a bit more energy before exploding, releasing a shockwave that knocked even me off my feet. When the dust settled, Koffing's charred body lay on the ground, while a small white pebble came bouncing up to me. I held out my hand, and Clefairy hopped onto it. She was so adorable at that size, I had to resist squeezing the very life out of her.

"You're a pretty good trainer," said Keigo as he returned his Koffing to its Pokeball. "But I still have one more Pokemon left!"

He released another Pokeball, revealing a strange flittering bug that stared me down with a sharp glare. I looked down at Clefairy, who was more than willing to face off against this new critter.

"Can you get big again?" I asked the miniature Pokemon, who sadly shook her head. The ability required some time to wear itself out, apparently. "It's okay, I'll let someone else handle him."

Without my even saying anything, Vulpix jumped into the fray, ready to face off against the critter before her. I took out my Pokedex to see just what kind of Pokemon we were up against.

"Ninjask, the Ninja Pokemon. Because it darts about vigorously at high speed, it is very difficult to see. Hearing its distinctive cries for too long induces a headache." Why was it I never encountered these cool bug Pokemon in the wild?

"Ninjask, use Bug Bite!"

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

Though Vulpix was the first to act, her flames seemed to strike at air. Before we both knew it, Ninjask had appeared behind Vulpix, viciously gnawing away at her tail. She spun around and fired again, but the Ninjask she blasted was a shadow, as the real thing was already behind her again. It was moving faster than we could both see!

"Ninjask, Leech Life!"

"Vulpix, Tail Whip!"

Ninjask zoomed in to bite Vulpix again, but her own attack was able to cancel it out. She just wasn't able to keep up with Ninjask. I had to come up with a different plan.

"Ninjask, Double Team!"

The bug Pokemon began flying around in circles, leaving behind dozens of exact replicas that all fluttered about in the air. Vulpix started barking at the clones, panicking in her own way. If Keigo started ordering attacks, Vulpix would be overwhelmed.

"Vulpix, use Ember, and shoot it as high up into the air as you can!"

Acknowledging my command, Vulpix launched several waves of the small flames high up into the air, eliminating a few of the clones in the process. There were still more than enough to win the battle, but that was just the first part of my strategy. The next move was up to Keigo.

"Ninjask, Fury Cutter!"

"Vulpix, run under the Ember now!"

Every single one of the clones turned their attention to Vulpix, who leapt ahead a short pace. She ducked for cover, and instantly the mass of bug Pokemon swooped in on her. As they closed in on Vulpix, the flames from her last attack rained down all over her, wiping out the clones. Some of those same flames hurt her, but most importantly, they struck the real Ninjask.

"Now, use Quick Attack!"

"Ninjask, Leech Life!"

Somehow, the bug was able to latch onto Vulpix before she could attack, but wasn't able to drain her of much health. Vulpix shook him off, and slammed into the bug hard, knocking it to the ground.

"Vulpix, finish with Flamethrower!"

Immobilized, Ninjask could do nothing but watch as Vulpix unleashed her fiery fury upon it. It didn't take much to end the battle, as Ninjask relied entirely on speed to dodge attacks. His final Pokemon defeated, Keigo silently put Ninjask back in its Pokeball. I promptly celebrated my victory, and at the same time Clefairy grew back to her normal size.

"I had never seen a Vulpix owned by a trainer before," said Keigo as he walked up to me.

"Really? They're not that rare, are they?"

"Around here they are. You can see a bunch of them over on Mt Pyre, just down that way," he said, pointing to the southeast. "But because they live on the mountainside, not many people try to catch one."

"How far away is Mt Pyre? I'd like to visit."

"Just keep going down the road, it'll be near the Safari Zone. If you get lost, you can ask there for directions." Safari Zone? There was another Safari Zone in Hoenn?

"Thanks, Keigo. And sorry about your Pokemon, I didn't mean for that battle to get out of hand." The young boy shook his head.

"It's okay, I kinda went all out as well. You're a really good trainer, for a girl." That last comment sort of sucked the fun out of my victory, but I chose not to hold it against Keigo. It was a built-in response for boys to look down on girls, or something.

"Well, I hope I see you around, Star! Bye!"

"Bye, Keigo! Nice to meet you!" I waved goodbye to him, before moving on with my own adventure.

~o~

As the sun vanished from the skies, I continued jogging on Route 121. I had been hoping to hide out inside the Safari Zone building for the night. As was typical, in the darkness of the evening all sorts of different Pokemon started making themselves known. I never wanted to admit it, but I was somewhat terrified of the dark, hence my promptness in setting up camp.

"Vulpix, mind keeping an eye out while I pitch the tent?" I dropped my bag to the ground, but just as I was pulling out the supplies, I noticed a faint light from just beyond the next row of trees. Braving the dark, I put everything back into my bag and told Vulpix to follow me. As we got closer, the light turned out to be a campfire, and its owner was a girl dressed oddly enough like a witch. Not that it mattered to me, she had a fire set up and it was certainly a lot warmer around it.

"Excuse me," I said, emerging from behind the trees, "would you mind if I camped out here with you?"

"Not at all! Please!" Sounding more than eager, the young lady moved over a bit and signaled for me to sit next to her.

"Thanks. I'm Star." Her eyes seemed to light up at the mention of my name.

"Wow! What a cute name! Wish I had a name like that. I'm Tammy." I gave Tammy a warm smile, genuinely happy that she didn't know me from the TV interviews with Gaby.

"I was looking for the Safari Zone," I said, trying to make small talk as I prepared my sleeping bag. "But it got so dark, I didn't want to keep looking."

"Silly! The Safari Zone is at least an hour going back that way!" She pointed in the direction I came from.

"Oh? Guess I missed it..." Was it really? I had kept my eyes peeled the entire way for a road leading towards the building. Unless there was no such road.

"Sure did! But because of that we got to meet! Guess it was fate, right?"

"Um, sure, I guess?" With my sleeping bag set up, all that was left to do was down a snack before bed. I didn't want to seem rude by not offering Tammy anything, but I didn't have much in the way of snacks left. I dug around my bag for a moment, considering the possibility of eating the bag of chips while she wasn't looking.

"Care for something to eat? I made some soup a little while ago. Bit cold now, but it's still tasty!" Tammy brought a small cooking pot into view, which had been hidden before by the lack of light. She checked to see if the pot was cool, and then gave it to me. It smelled delicious, but I wasn't sure what kind of soup it was. And asking felt wrong, especially after she offered it.

"Um, is there a spoon I can use?"

"Spoon? Who carries a spoon? Just drink from the pot, silly!" I giggled slightly at her words, before pressing my lips to the pot. My fears were instantly dissolved by the still-warm soup as it coursed through my body. I still couldn't tell what it was, but it was delicious!

"This is great! What kind of soup is it?" I went in for another gulp.

"Rat tail soup!"

Instantly I spat out what soup was in my mouth to a side, startling both Vulpix and Tammy in the process. Bad manners or no, she couldn't possibly expect me to act in any other manner after telling me the main ingredient of the soup. Rather than be offended though, Tammy just burst out laughing. And despite my first reaction, the soup flavor still in my mouth wasn't at all repugnant.

"Oh the look on your face! You actually fell for that one?" Tammy tried to contain her giggles, while I stared back at the pot and the soup that remained.

"You mean, it wasn't...?"

"Of course not, silly! You actually think I'd make soup with a rat's tail? I may be dressed like a witch but that don't mean nothin'!" She had a point, but, after saying something like that, I was hesitant to keep drinking it.

"So, what kind of soup is it?" By this point I honestly didn't want to know anymore. To answer me, Tammy produced a pair of empty cans.

"My own special blend! Really, it's just beef mixed with veggies, I find it tastes better than either one alone. Go on, silly, keep drinking! I swear, there're no rats in there!" I looked down at the pot, my appetite now completely gone.

"Um, you won't hold it against me if I say I'm full, will you?" I handed her back the pot, to her dismay.

"Well, your loss, Star. Guess I should've pulled that one after you finished." She contained a few snickers before offering me a bottle of water. Red flags went soaring over my head when I saw it.

"What's that?"

"Water. Just water, nothing in it or anything, it's just plain water." It took me a few seconds to accept the offer. I eased up a little when I realized it was a brand new bottle, as the cap was still sealed. Certainly didn't taste funny, either.

"So tell me a bit about yourself, Star. Where you from?"

"Pallet Town," I said, chugging down half the bottle as quickly as possible. I wanted to erase all traces of that soup from my taste buds.

"Never heard of it. That's not in Hoenn, is it?"

"Kanto. I'm from Kanto, I'm just traveling Hoenn for the fall."

"Oh, I see. Aspire to defeat the Elite Four?"

"No, I'm just traveling for the sake of it. My mom was always a bit of a control freak, so when she let me go, I decided to see as much of the world as I could before going back home." I decided to spare Tammy the details of my initial escape. Boy, did that feel like forever ago.

"That's cool. I went out on a similar journey myself, when I was your age. Now, I'm just traveling for the sake of it myself. No Pokemon this time, either."

"Really? What happened to all your old Pokemon?" I also wanted to ask how long ago was her first adventure, but the Pokemon question seemed more important. I couldn't imagine leaving Vulpix behind.

"Oh, they're still around back home. Just felt I needed to do a bit of soul-searching on my own, you know? Well, I think you're a bit too young to truly understand everything, huh?" She gave me a pat on the head, instantly making me feel like a toddler by comparison.

"I do too understand!" I slapped away her hand, trying to assert myself. Tammy just giggled.

"Don't be in such a hurry to grow up, Star. You'll end up regretting it, trust me." I was about to retort that, but one look at her expression stayed my hand. Her cheery demeanor vanished, and with it all the fun around the campfire.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to bring down the mood like that. I didn't mean to make you feel bad or anything, Star." With Tammy's smile, the warmth of the fire returned. Eager to shift the topic of the conversation, I decided to ask her directions.

"Can you tell me which way to go to reach Mt Pyre? That's where I'm headed tomorrow."

"Oh! What a coincidence! I'm headed there as well, I came from Lilycove earlier today. If you don't mind the company, we could go there together!" I somehow had a feeling she'd say that.

"Sure, I'd love to go together!"

~o~

Morning came, and with it another meal courtesy of Tammy. Because I saw her prepare this one, I made sure there were no strange ingredients added to the pot, but that didn't stop Tammy from trying to pull a fast one on me.

"I added a Pidgey's claw while you were asleep," she had told me. I wasn't about to fall for the same joke twice.

From there, we had to backtrack a little from my perspective, as the road to Route 122 was hidden slightly behind a dense cluster of trees. No doubt the same trick concealed the Safari Zone from me yesterday. To my pleasant surprise, Route 122 was a water route, with Mt Pyre nestled in the center of the lake. There were boats available for use to reach the island, so I wouldn't have to strain Vaporeon by using him as a makeshift boat.

"Tammy, why are you going to Mt Pyre?"

"Stuff," she replied, finding the question a bit of a pry. "You?"

"Well," I stuttered, momentarily unsure why I was going there myself. At first, I didn't want to go, after hearing what was inside the mountain. But now, I was doing it not only to see the place with my own eyes, but also give Vulpix a chance to see other foxes like herself.

"It's okay," Tammy said, seeing that the question was bordering on uncomfortable. "No need to say anything."

She was right. I mean, for what reasons does one go to a Pokemon burial ground, if not to bury a Pokemon, or remember one that had been? Actually, that very thought, right there on the boat, crushed me with a massive force. I had lost a Pokemon myself, not too long ago. At the very least I could offer a silent prayer for Primeape.

The boat pulled up to the dock, and we hopped off the vessel. After Tammy tied up the boat, we walked inside the mountain. The style of the entrance reminded me of the Burned Tower, further proving that there was at one point a link between the two regions. Make that three regions, as the interior was practically identical to the Pokemon Tower in Lavender Town.

"Welcome to Mt Pyre, dears," was our greeting from an elder woman just by the entrance. "What brings you to the spiritual Mount Pyre?"

"I'll be heading to the summit," replied Tammy, who promptly left me alone with the old lady. Not that I was expecting her to stick around, but it did catch me off guard.

"And you, dear?"

"Um, I heard that you could find wild Vulpix on the mountain," I started slowly. The old lady let out a sigh.

"Come to steal away more of the tranquil Pokemon?"

"Oh no! Not at all, ma'am! It's just, Vulpix has never seen other Pokemon like herself, so I wanted her to meet with other Vulpix, is all." I picked up my own critter to prove it. Vulpix let out a soft bark.

"I see," the old lady said, staring at me the entire time. "You can come out to the mountainside through that exit over there."

I looked up, seeing one of many entryways up on a higher level. The entire mountain was hollow on the inside, with places to actually walk only lining the walls. I pointed it out to Vulpix, who ran off once she had my permission.

"Something else, dear?"

"Yes, actually. I'd like to know where I can pay my respects, for a Pokemon I lost. He was buried in Ecruteak City, but while I'm here, I'd like to say a prayer." For once, the old woman gave me an honest, warm smile.

"Follow me, dear."

The old woman led me to a small shrine, tucked away in a corner of the first floor. Once I was alone, I took out my purse and offered a few coins, clasping my hands together. My thoughts turned to Primeape, as well as memories of when I first met up with him as a Mankey. It felt like so long ago, a sign of the experiences I had acquired on this adventure. Once I was done with my prayer, I opened my eyes, and saw something forming before me.

Frightened momentarily, I backed away, but didn't scream just yet. The wisp of purple smoke took form, into a Pokemon I knew very well. The Gastly hovered before me for a moment, but didn't make any sudden movements. Instead, it just remained there, awaiting something.

"It seeks to join you," came a voice from behind me. It was the old lady, who bowed in respect to the ghost type.

"How can you tell?"

"Can you not? This Pokemon has followed you since the day it was reunited with you at its grave." It took me a moment to register that, but suddenly it hit me. I looked into Gastly's eyes, seeing the same fierce determination and will I used to see in another Pokemon.

"Primeape? Can it be...?" I reached out to touch the Pokemon, who maniputed its gaseous body to wrap around my hand. In that moment I knew it was true.

"Sometimes, when a Pokemon that has passed on has a strong enough bond to its previous life, it manifests as memories when it is reborn as a ghost type Pokemon. This Gastly possesses such memories, only it wasn't able to reveal itself to you until you sought it out."

"I-I'm sorry," I said, suddenly breaking down in front of the Pokemon. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean for this to happen to you, Primeape! I'm really, truly sorry!"

"Be at ease, dear," said the old lady as she put her hand on my shoulder. "This Pokemon bears to ill will towards you. Quite the contrary, it seeks to rejoin your company, to travel alongside you once more."

"Primeape- no, Gastly," I said, wiping away a tear that had formed, "do you forgive me?"

The Pokemon nodded, which put my heart at ease. I took out a Pokeball, and held it out to Gastly; one final test. Without hesitation, Gastly lifted the device into the air, letting it land on him. He was absorbed into the Pokeball, and instantly it sealed. I picked it up, holding it close to my heart. Somehow, I felt as if I were truly reunited with an old friend.

Once Vulpix returned, I said goodbye to the old lady, who showed me the way out. With Beedrill back in the storage system, and Gastly taking his place, I walked out of Mt Pyre with a smile on my face.

I left behind a painful memory, and gained back an old friend in a new body.


	64. Princess of Lilycove City

Princess of Lilycove City, Chapter 64

"Lilycove City," I said to myself, as well as Vulpix at my side. It was the Vermillion City of the Hoenn region, a massive seaside port with buildings that seemed to reach into the clouds. That was Lilycove's key differing feature, as Vermillion City was a much more quaint port town. What's more, despite being in the middle of autumn, the streets were surprisingly warm.

"What do you think, girl? Want to visit the Pokemon Center before we take a break?" My attention was stolen by a pair of young ladies walking down the street. They were dressed in elaborate outfits, the kinds you wear to a dinner party if you lived a hundred years ago, parasol and all! In my eyes, they were like princesses walking down the street, so I ran up to them for a quick meet-and-greet.

"Hello! Those are so pretty dresses!" Despite my cheery demeanor, the two girls took a step back when I approached.

"Excuse me?" One of them said.

"Oh, didn't I introduce myself? I'm Star." I offered my hand to the girl, but she backed away even further.

"Please, keep those filthy hands to yourself!" The other girl exclaimed, braving what they believed to be a street urchin.

"What? My hand isn't-"

"You'd do well to learn your place, MISS Star. Filth like you isn't welcome in Lilycove City." Sticking her nose up, she strutted away from me. The other girl whom I had offered my hand to followed close. Honestly, I was more confused than offended at that point, especially considering I met up with Nancy right after that scene.

"Why, if it isn't Star! So glad you made it!"

"Hi, Nancy. Sorry I'm late," I said, this time not offering a handshake or any other form of greeting. "Um, do you know those two girls?"

"Oh, them?" She pointed at the two as the vanished behind a building. I nodded.

"Yeah, I went to say hello, and they just started saying all sorts of mean things about me."

"Oh, don't mind them," Nancy said, taking my hand. "They're just a bit stuck up, is all. They don't have the true regal splendor a proper lady requires. Pretenders, the both of them!"

"Um, sure. If you say so...?" Still confused, I chose to drop the subject altogether.

"Of course I do! Now, you simply must come with me! I promised you something of a makeover, did I not?" Nancy dragged me along down the street, with Vulpix running after us.

"Vulpix, don't fall behind!" I called out. She barked, making sure to keep up with Nancy's brisk pace.

"First off, we'll stop by my place. We simply MUST get you washed up!"

Suddenly, I knew what Vulpix felt like when I informed her it was bath time. And it wasn't pleasant.

~o~

Just where did Nancy live? Why, in a penthouse suite atop one of the many buildings in Lilycove City, of course! I never thought I'd live to see the day I was allowed into one of these houses, yet here I was. Lavishly decorated rooms, hallways, and furniture to match. Butlers and waiters around every corner, just like a royal palace! And there I was, Vulpix trailing behind, leaving muddy pawprints in her wake. I myself was leaving similar mud prints on the carpet, which made me far more embarrassed when the butlers swooped in to clean it all up.

"I'm really sorry about the mess, Nancy," I apologized. She honestly didn't seem to care.

"Don't you worry, it'll be cleaned up before your bath is even filled. Now, I'll be letting you borrow some of my attire while we go shopping this afternoon, so that you can blend in!"

"Um, listen," I started softly, "I don't want to seem rude, but just what kind of clothing are you going to get me?"

"Anything you'd like, Star! I'll recommend some pieces, to be sure, but in the end, it is entirely up to you!" That eased my mind a little, until another question replaced it.

"Nancy, why are you doing this for me?"

"Why? Because you're my friend, of course."

"But we haven't known each other for more than a few hours. How can we be friends?" That statement was the last straw. Instantly, Nancy's glowing expression was extinguished. I was afraid that I'd have said something to upset her. Before I could begin stacking on the apologies, however, she just turned around slowly and walked off. My heart began to race, fearing the worst.

"Excuse me, miss," came a voice from behind me. Startled, I spun around, seeing one of the butlers standing there. Instantly I feared I'd be booted off the roof of the building.

"Y-Yes, sir?"

"I don't mean to pry, but might I ask where it is you met Lady Nancy?" I found it hard to swallow after the question.

"Um, well, I-uh..." I stuttered, not able to find the words. Vulpix saw my distress, and jumped between me and the butler. Despite her growls, he was not intimidated.

"I bare no ill intent, miss. I merely wish to know why Lady Nancy selected you as her latest 'friend'."

"'Latest friend'? What does that mean?" The butler bowed his head lower, keeping his voice low.

"The Lady Nancy has recently taken to exploring the Hoenn region on her own. It is well within her privileges. However, she has returned home several times with companions she deemed 'friends'. Each of these companions have taken more than their fair share of the family wealth, all willingly given by Lady Nancy, before departing. It is no business of mine whom the Lady socializes with, but it is my business to step in on account of the Lady if I should find her in distress."

"Yeah? So...?" I honestly got lost half way through his explanation. Something about Nancy making too many friends?

"Put simply: I am here to make sure you are not here to make off with a small fortune at her expense."

"Oh! Well, when you put it that way, I'm not."

"Then please tell me: where did you meet Lady Nancy?" His eyes began to drill holes in me.

"Well, I was on Route, uh, something, and it was raining! Yeah, so I didn't have anything to cover myself with, so it started raining, and I got all wet! Because it was so cold, I started feeling sick, and that's when Nancy showed up to help me! She made a cave, made me soup, took care of me when I had a fever. She saved my life, then just left without asking for anything!"

"Then how did you end up here?"

"Well, I ran into her again outside Oldale Town. She offered to buy me some new clothes, so I wouldn't get sick again when it got colder. But I had things to do in Petalburg City, so I agreed to meet up with her here." That pretty much summed it all up, and truthfully. Still, that butler was staring me down like an angry Fearow.

"So, if this is all true, why did Lady Nancy look so distraught a moment ago?"

"Well, I asked why she was doing me this huge favor and gift. She said we were friends, and I only said we didn't know each other that well, so we couldn't be good friends yet." After that had escaped my lips, I felt like I had said something I probably shouldn't have.

"I see," the butler said, backing away at last. He remained silent and still for a moment, before opening the door behind me. "This way to the bath."

"What? You mean you're letting me stay?"

"Of all the companions Lady Nancy has brought into this house, only you have demonstrated true friendship. Your question, which wounded the Lady, was a necessary evil to be confronted. Worry not, I will tend to her distress promptly. In the meantime, feel free to freshen up within, miss...?"

"Oh! I'm Star, sir." I made sure to display my mother's good manners with a curtsey.

"Miss Star. By your leave." He gave a bow, and walked down the hallway after Nancy. Once he was gone, I walked into the bathroom, which blew my mind away. Even Vulpix looked as though she'd gladly take a bath in this luxury. However, my mind was elsewhere.

"Rich people are so spiffy, huh girl?" I giggled.

~o~

Later that day, after the longest bath I had ever taken in my life, I joined up with Nancy again for lunch. Her joyous demeanor seemed to have been rekindled by the butler, and she was eagerly awaiting me. As she promised prior to that whole mess, she let me borrow some of her own clothes, which made me look just like one of those snobby rich girls from earlier. And yet, I didn't feel like myself at all in that attire.

"Star! You look absolutely adorable in that dress!" Nancy pointed to the seat across from hers. When I went to take a seat, the butler from earlier showed up just in time to pull the chair out for me, and push it in after. Vulpix leapt onto to the table, which I was about to scold her for when Nancy signaled it was fine.

"We'll be going to the store after lunch, so be sure to eat up! You'll need your strength, after all; wouldn't want you falling ill again." As if on cue, several maids raided the table, dropping all sorts of dishes, from the simple to the lavish. I was starved, of course, but I didn't dig in just yet. No doubt there were manners and etiquette to observe. I looked down at my empty plate, surrounded by half a dozen forks and knives.

"Nancy, which fork is the right one?" I felt my cheeks start to warm up.

"Any will do, Star. Mother and father aren't here, so feel free to eat at your leisure and pleasure! Vulpix, you can eat as much as you'd like, as well." That was all she needed before she attacked something sweet on the table. I had a feeling Vulpix would come to regret that come dinner time.

"Star, what business did you have in Petalburg City? The trip back here on my own was rather dull without you."

"Oh, well, I had to meet up with a friend, before she left Hoenn. That, and I paid a visit to the gym, to earn a badge from the leader." I started with a sandwich of some sort, stuffed with a number of different meats and cheeses. It was like a feast for the taste buds!

"Aiming for fame? I heard the Elite Four of Hoenn were quite difficult to overcome, even for skilled trainers."

"Not really," I said between bites, "I'm just collecting the badges for the sake of it. I'm actually on my way to the Battle Frontier, I was invited by some of the gym leaders."

"Across the sea? Well, do be careful when you go. I've heard that Team Aqua is operating somewhere out there, trying to capture some sort of rare Pokemon. It's all over the television these days."

Team Aqua, a name I had almost forgotten. After my encounter with Maxie in New Mauville, I had the good fortune of not running into anymore of their members. Of course, figures Aqua would be on the eastern side of Hoenn, where there was more water. If Team Magma was looking for Groudon on land, they'd be looking for the water equivalent, whose name escaped me at the moment.

"Well, it's a big ocean. I doubt I'd run into them out there."

"I suppose you're right, Star," Nancy replied with a smile. Naturally, I had a feeling deep down I'd somehow get involved in the end. It was always that way.

~o~

After we finished eating, it was a long way down to the bottom floor of the building, where a car was waiting for us. It drove us across the city, where another huge building towered into the sky. This one was marked with a large sign: 'Lilycove City Department Store'. My memories of visiting Celadon City instantly sprang to mind. Funny how there were so many similarities between the regions.

"Well, should we work our way up? Or would you prefer to start on the top floor, work our way down?" Nancy asked, helping me to get involved in the activity.

"Why don't you decide," I told her. "You know the place better than me."

"Very well, we'll work our way down. The clothing boutique is on the top floor, anyway." Taking my hand, she dragged me into the building, and as usual, Vulpix ran in after us. I left everything else, including my other Pokemon, at her place. No sense carrying them around on a shopping trip.

We took the elevator to the top floor. There, the doors opened to reveal an entire floor filled with clothes of all styles and prices, shapes and designs. I could see why any girl would get lost in this paradise, though at the same time it was a mixed reaction on my part. I was never big on clothing shopping, as you'd probably judge from my rather repetitive selection of yellow dress. Still, that didn't mean I wouldn't indulge myself in trying several outfits, if only for the fun involved. Nancy made it clear on the elevator that she'd be willing to pay for any selection of clothes I liked, so I didn't have to hold back.

At the same time, I didn't want to take advantage of her charity, so once the initial craze died down, I started looking through the racks of clothing for something I truly liked. The winter months were upon us, so warmer clothing was abundant. Rather than bore you with all the little details, let's just say I was searching through the store for a good pair of hours for a small wardrobe to replace my current one. I ended with a pair of new outfits, and traded in those worn-out old sandals for leather knee-high boots. Of course, the dress was still my favorite kind of clothing, so the new outfits were complete with stockings and long sleeves.

"Is that all you're getting? Surely there's something else you'd like!" Nancy was almost offended at my small selection.

"It's not that, it's just I don't want to get so much stuff," I said.

"Star, I told you! No holding back!"

"It's not because of that," I replied, though in part that was a reason. "I don't want to carry around so much clothing in my bag. It's heavy enough as it is!"

"Is that all? Well why didn't you say so? Listen: pick out anything else you want. When we return, I'll arrange for anything you won't be needing anymore to be delivered directly to your house! Problem solved, right?"

"Oh no, that's asking for too much," I said. To be honest, her level of charity was bordering on scary for me at this point.

"You know I won't take no for an answer, Star. Now please, pick out some more clothes!"

Well, practically with a gun at my head, I picked out a few other outfits. I sort of looked at Nancy with each new article I purchased, hoping that piece would be the last one to satisfy her need to purchase. Eventually, she told me it was enough, finally allowing me to rest easy. We took the clothes to the counter, where my gaze was fixated on the total cost. These clothes were far more expensive than I ever imagined, with the number climbing well past the ten thousand mark after only a few pieces. And each little beep of the machine made my heart beat that much faster.

"Your total will be ¥89,980, Lady Nancy. Shall I charge this as usual?" My jaw was agape at the total, while both the cashier lady and Nancy had no visible reaction.

"Please. It came out to be far less than I anticipated, actually." Nancy looked in my direction, giggling at the sight of my expression. "What's the matter, Star?"

"Oh, uh, nothing." I looked away, trying to hide my face. If Mom ever saw that, she'd probably faint.

"Don't worry, it's nothing. Just a small gift from me to you."

"Is that so, Lady Nancy? How generous of you! A special occasion for your friend, is it?" The lady tending the shop handed Nancy the receipt.

"Not quite, just a gift for gift-giving's sake," Nancy told her. She handed me the receipt. "Keep it, in case you end up changing your mind?"

"Oh, I don't think that'll happen," I said. In truth, the thought of coming back and returning it all to grab the money crossed my mind, but that would be no different than spitting on Nancy's hospitality. I glanced at the receipt, taking note of today's date.

"Oh wow, it's October twenty-ninth!"

"A special date, Star?"

"My birthday's in two days! I probably would've forgotten if I hadn't seen this." Nancy's eyes began to sparkle.

"Star, I will not take anything but yes for an answer! You must remain in Lilycove until then!"

"Oh, but I couldn't-"

"Tut tut! I insist. You will remain here, and we shall celebrate your birthday together!" I sighed, knowing there was no way out of this one.

"Okay, I guess I can stay."

"Excellent! Consider all these clothes a gift from me to you for your birthday! Now, let us move on: there's still another seven floors to visit!"

~o~

Call me a spoiled little girl. Go on, you wouldn't be entirely wrong. Here I was, who knows how far from home, and I was being treated like a princess because it was to be my special day. My entire Pokemon adventure, I've had to suffer here and there, but for the most part I cannot complain. In my darkest hours, I've pulled through, thanks to my own determination, wit, and the help of friends I've made along the way. Now, I was in Lilycove City, on a shopping spree with a new friend that could buy me the world if I so wanted. Not that I did.

"Star, we've been through five floors, now, and still you haven't purchased anything! Is something wrong?"

"It's just that I don't need or want anything," I told Nancy for the tenth time. I knew she was eager to buy anything I wanted, but aside from the fact that I felt genuinely wrong taking these gifts from her, there really wasn't anything I wanted. I had enough Pokemon related supplies to last me a while, and after the clothes there really wasn't anything left for me to buy.

"Why not one of these digital Pokemon games? You could stay here a lot longer if you played this instead!" Nancy showed me one of the games, which I had tried for myself back in Olivine City with Yunie.

"Really, I'm fine, Nancy. Trust me, if there was something I wanted, I'd tell you." And that was about to happen, when I found a shelf carrying special rocks. I ran over to it, picking up the stones in my hands. They were evolution stones, used on some Pokemon to make them evolve.

"Oh! Would you like a Fire Stone for Vulpix? You could have her evolve into a Ninetails, if you'd like." Instantly, I dropped the stones and picked Vulpix up.

"Never! I'd never force Vulpix to evolve if she didn't want to! Right girl?" She barked softly to my face, and licked me.

"Okay, I did not mean ill by it. How about one of these other stones? Have any use for any of them?"

"Well, I do have a Clefairy. They evolve into Clefable through a Moon Stone, but I think those can only be found in Mt Moon, back in Kanto." I wasn't planning on forcing Clefairy to evolve, either. But since it was well known that they lived in close proximity to the Moon Stones, perhaps she'd be more willing to the opportunity. I did sort of steal her away from her home.

"I don't see any here. It's a shame, really." Nancy was being awfully calm about this 'shame', which felt a bit off. She was so eager to please me, I figured she'd try and order one from Kanto on the spot.

"It's okay, Nancy. When I go back to Kanto, I'll visit Mt Moon myself and pick one up."

"Yes, I suppose," she sighed. "Well, shall we move on?"

The rest of the shopping went quietly, as the day ended and the department store slowly emptied. We were among the last to leave, though the butler was still waiting outside the store; car ready to depart at a moment's notice. Once we were inside, I heard my stomach growl.

"Hungry, my lady?" Called out the butler from the front seat.

"Star is, as am I. Sebastian, please make arrangements for dinner soon as we get home. Also, prepare for a grand party the day after tomorrow." I felt myself blush upon hearing this.

"Oh? What's the occasion, my lady?"

"It's Star's birthday, of course!"

All I could do was hide my face from the butler. I didn't deserve any of this.


	65. Night of Fright

Night of Fright, Chapter 65

It was hard, but I managed to arrange an escape of sorts from Nancy's house the following day. During breakfast, all she could go on about was the preparations for the party tomorrow, and how she was planning on inviting practically the whole of Lilycove. I was against this, naturally, as I was just a small town girl from the mainland. No one truly worthy of all these festivities. What hurt me most was that Mom couldn't be there with me for my special day.

A simple request on my part was all that I needed to have her brought to Lilycove in time for my birthday, but I went against it. Not that I didn't want to see her, just that it felt wrong to continue to leech off of Nancy yet again. So with that in mind, I needed an escape from all of Nancy's planning, to which I appealed my case to Sebastian, the kindly butler from the day before.

"I will do all in my power to distract the Lady Nancy," he told me. "But when the Lady sets her mind to something, it can be difficult to dissuade her."

"I just need her busy for one minute, so I can sneak out into town," I said, the both of us ignoring Nancy's plans for my party just a few feet away. "I want to explore the city on my own."

"Oh Star, be a dear and come over here," I heard her call out to me. "I want your opinion on these treats for the party."

As I was getting up to see what Nancy wanted, Sebastian stood in my way, signaling for me to get out of there that instant. Swooping Vulpix into my arms, I ran towards the front door, while Sebastian took my place at Nancy's side. A long elevator ride down to the ground floor, and I was free for the day.

"I hope Sebastian didn't get in trouble for helping me," I told Vulpix. She barked, as she usually did, but it sounded like she agreed with me.

"Well, what should we do today? We have the entire day to ourselves... Hey! Why don't we hit the beach?" Vulpix looked at me like I was crazy, which served as a reminder.

"Oh, right. I left my swimsuit at Nancy's place. Plus it's a bit chilly, anyway." I sighed, kicking the ground at my feet.

For such a large and vibrant town, there wasn't much to actually do. I ended up sitting down near the building, watching people come and go in silence. Vulpix, ever the lazy fox, fell asleep after a few minutes.

One thing I noticed while staring at the passersby was the lack of excitement for the coming day. Birthday or no, it was Halloween, the day of tricks and treats and ghouly ghost Pokemon. Or was Hoenn so far away from the Kanto region that they didn't celebrate it as we did? The very train of thought sparked an idea in my head. After waking Vulpix, I skipped along down the street, now in my new winter attire, towards the city's museum. If anything, they'd know about Hoenn's celebrations.

Along the way, however, I came upon something strange that caught my attention. It was a group of people shuffling into a small house in the middle of the city. I took a slight detour to read the sign of the place.

"'Cove Lily Motel'? That's originally lazy naming," I said to myself. The small house had one window by the door, which I used to peek into the place. Inside were a few people, all lounging around the table in the center of the room. The reason I went snooping in the first place was because I thought they looked suspicious, as in Team Aqua or Magma suspicious. Yet there they were, drinking merrily and celebrating some great new accomplishment. I shrugged my shoulders, curiosity satisfied, and moved on.

I'd later learn that those people were actually quite famous: Game Freak staff members, vacationing in Lilycove. I wasn't a big fan of their digital Pokemon games, but I had a feeling that an autograph or two would've made great souvenirs.

~o~

"Welcome to the Lilycove Museum."

"Good morning," I greeted in return to the receptionist. "I'd like to know if there's any information on Hoenn's holidays I can learn here?"

"Certainly! Just search the museum for one of our scholars, and they'd be more than happy to share their wisdom and knowledge. I hope you enjoy your stay!"

"Thanks!" I set foot into the museum proper, and was instantly wowed by what it had to offer.

The walls were covered almost entirely by vibrant paintings of Pokemon. Many of them were strange to me, rare critters from different regions I didn't recognize. There was one or two that I did, such as Articuno, and even a painting of Groudon. Each painting was done with broad and powerful brushstrokes, and I could tell more than a few of them were artists' interpretations rather than exact detail. After all, far as I remembered, Articuno didn't leave behind rain and rainbows in its wake.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" An elderly gentleman said as he walked up beside me. I stepped aside slightly, so that he could enjoy the painting equally.

"It's a pretty picture, but it's just a picture." I commented, never fancying myself the art critic.

"True, but this may be as close as many people will ever get to these legendary Pokemon. Note the use of color in the wings of this Articuno, and the attention to detail behind the bird as it flies off."

"I've seen Articuno before, and it doesn't rain wherever it flies, sir." I said, giggling at his exaggerations. He was left awestruck at my claim.

"You've seen this bird with your own eyes? Tell me, where?"

"The Seafoam Islands, in Kanto. I was passing through when I stopped on the islands. Team Rocket was there, trying to capture Articuno for some reason. I helped him escape." A proud memory from my first journey. The man was taken further aback.

"What a tale! If only I had the courage to become a Pokemon trainer myself, I could've seen such wonders with my own eyes," lamented the man. I almost felt bad for him.

"It's okay, the painting is still very good! Like you said, not everyone can see these Pokemon, trainers or not!"

"You're too kind, dear. I'm Andres, a curator of this museum." I shook the man's hand with a smile.

"I'm Star, a Pokemon trainer. And this is Vulpix." She barked at him, which startled the man slightly.

"Lively creature, isn't she?"

"She's also really nice. You work here, right? Can you tell me if Halloween is celebrated here in Hoenn?"

"Why, I believe so, Star. In recent years, Hoenn citizens have been paying more and more attention to the television set than their customs and traditions. Even something as involving as Halloween seems to be forgotten in more than a few cities." It was like a curse, all the publicity. Or actually...

"Hey! Do you know if there'll be any reporters in Lilycove today?" Andres was perplexed at the sudden shift in topic.

"Well, I can't be certain, but there's always some reporter floating about. If you look around the city I'm certain you'd run into one."

"Thank you, sir! It was fun talking to you!" I snapped my fingers, and ran back out of the museum. An idea had struck, and what better way to make tomorrow all the more memorable? All I needed now was a reporter willing to interview me. And I knew just the pair to get the job done.

~o~

"Gaby!"

"Well, if it isn't Star! Fancy seeing you here in Lilycove City. We just keep running into each other, don't we?" Gaby, as well as her cameraman Ty, were parked just outside the city, no doubt looking for their next big story. For once, I wanted to be interviewed by her.

"Have any new stories to report?" I asked her.

"I'm tailing this new one, something about Team Aqua. Can't say anymore than that, Star." I smiled at her, ready to work my plan into her schedule.

"Well, if you've got nothing else to do, I wouldn't mind doing another interview?"

"That's okay, I think I have enough interest stories saved up to hold me for a while. Thanks for offering, though." My expression went blank. She was denying an interview?

"Oh, I see," I said, trying to come up with another approach. "If you don't want to, that's fine. I mean, it's only going to be my birthday tomorrow."

"That so? Congratulations, Star." She still wasn't biting. I had one more chance.

"Yeah, thanks! I'll be having a big party here, thanks to Nancy. The Lady Nancy, that is!" Suddenly, Gaby's eyes widened.

"Wait, you mean...?" She pointed up, towards the roof of one of the buildings in the city. I nodded.

"Yeah, that Nancy. She'll be having a big party for me, because we're friends!"

"Ty, start recording!" Gaby got off her butt and positioned herself beside me. Once Ty gave her the signal, she took a deep breath and smiled at the camera.

"Welcome back to a special event edition of 'Eyes on Hoenn'. I'm here in Lilycove City, where I've just been informed of a spectacular event being planned for tomorrow, the thirty-first of October. Joining me for yet another interview is Star, the adorable trainer all of Hoenn seems to be talking about!" I gave a quick wave to the camera before Gaby turned to prepare the interview proper. "Star, tell us: what's this event?"

"Well, tomorrow is my birthday," I started with a smile, "and my friend Nancy, who lives here in Lilycove, is planning a huge party for me! She's inviting the entire city to attend!"

"Well congratulations, Star. How old will you be tomorrow?"

"Eleven."

"They grow up so fast, don't they? Now, if the Lady Nancy is going to be hosting this party, and all of Lilycove is supposedly invited, where will it be held, exactly?" When the microphone returned to me, I went dead silent. My plan was to spread the word about Halloween through Gaby, not invite people to my party.

"Um, here?"

"You mean she's holding the party right on the streets of the city? How very unorthodox is that for a party?" Bingo, Gaby had given me my opening.

"Well, tomorrow is also Halloween," I said, "so Nancy was looking forward to making me happy by celebrating both my birthday and Halloween tomorrow!"

"Interesting," commented Gaby. "It looks like the whole of Hoenn will have their eyes on the TV tomorrow for this event. You heard it here, folks! We'll be back tomorrow afternoon for the festivities. This is Gaby for 'Eyes on Hoenn', signing off!"

Ty gave her the signal that the camera was off, and instantly her smile vanished. It was like watching one of those illusion pictures that showed a different thing depending on your angle.

"Thanks for the heads-up, Star. I'm sure it'll be a great piece for me, and there's not another reporter anywhere in the area. I'm all set!"

Gaby took her cameraman and equipment, heading off into the city to do who knows what. Content with my actions, I decided to return to Nancy's place. After all, whatever she was planning now would probably be changed to fit with the expectations to follow the news report.

~o~

When I returned, I found the house empty. This shocked me, but I wasn't about to argue. Nancy could get a bit clingy, especially with the party planning on her mind. As I wandered the house freely, I noticed a large telephone in the kitchen. Tomorrow was my birthday, so the least I could do was call Mom and say hi. After all, she couldn't contact me as easily.

I dialed her number, and waited for a moment. It rang a few times, and I feared she may have been out of the house. Suddenly, the screen switched on, and I saw her looking right back at me.

"Star? Star is that really you?"

"Yeah, Mom," I said, trying my best to contain my tears. I hadn't seen her in a while, and she was just as overjoyed at seeing me. With it being my birthday tomorrow, I wanted to at least give her the pleasure of seeing me. At least over the phone.

"I've been so worried! You never called, I thought something might've happened!"

"No, it's just that it took me a while to get the Pokegear fixed. Actually, I got a new one entirely! It's called the Pokenav, from someone in Rustboro City." I showed her the device, since I was calling from Nancy's house phone.

"Rustboro? You mean you're in Hoenn right now?"

"Yeah, I came here by ship a few weeks ago. I'm in Lilycove City, staying at a friend's house."

"Goodness, you're so far! You have no idea how much I miss you, dear! I was afraid I wouldn't be able to talk to you for your own birthday!"

"Yeah, that's why I decided to call, now that I had some free time. My friend Nancy is planning on throwing me a birthday party, you know." I chose to leave out the details of the party on purpose.

"That's so sweet of her! Be sure to give her my thanks, as well as thank her yourself for everything, you hear?"

"Yes, Mom," I groaned.

"Oh Star, I can't believe you're already turning eleven! Oh, my baby's growing up so fast!"

"Mom! I'm-"

"Not a baby, I know, sweetie," she cut me off. "But you'll always be my baby! Listen, I hate to be the one doing this to you, but I have to go now."

"Really? Where're you off to?"

"A dinner party. Someone in town's celebrating something, and I was invited. It gets so lonely here without you."

"I'm sorry, Mom," I said, feeling bad about leaving her all alone.

"No, it's all right, dear. You be careful at that party, and be sure to call back again as soon as you can, you understand?"

"Yes, Mom."

"By the way, where's Vulpix?" At the mention of her name, Vulpix jumped up on my lap, scratching at the monitor.

"Hi there, girl! You be sure to take good care of Star for me, okay?" Vulpix barked at the screen. "Atta girl. Star, I've got to go. Be safe, okay?"

"I will, Mom. Have fun at that party."

"Same to you, dear. I love you!"

"Love you too, Mom. Bye."

The monitor went dark. I felt my heart grow heavy in my chest, but a quick lick from Vulpix raised my spirits again. This was no time to be down, and even she realized that. I hugged Vulpix before returning to the living room to wait for Nancy.

~o~

I scratched behind Vulpix's ears, enjoying the unusual silence. Nancy still wasn't back, despite it being 5:12 in the afternoon, according to the clock in the living room. News usually began to air on TV after 4, so if Gaby had made the deadline, my interview would've already aired. And that meant Nancy would've already heard it.

"Think my plan'll work, Vulpix?" The small fox licked my hand. As if on cue, I heard the elevator doors opening down the hall. I wasn't sure what to expect from Nancy, but I sure wouldn't be waiting long to find out. The pitter-patter of a dozen pairs of feet rushed down the hall and entered the living room.

"Hello, Nancy!" I greeted her, smiling from ear to ear.

"Good afternoon, Star," she said in a monotone. "Please ready dinner, Sebastian. I'm certain Star is hungry, as am I."

"At once, my Lady." Sebastian and the other servants dispersed, leaving us alone in the room. I felt my heart begin to race ever so slightly.

"I saw your interview by that newswoman on TV," Nancy said, keeping her monotone intact.

"Oh really? She's so nice, you know? I felt bad not sharing all the wonderful things you were doing just for me!" Perhaps if I played it cool and gleeful, she wouldn't erupt?

"Yes, well, what I was planning was nothing like what you promised during the interview." I felt my mouth go dry at those words.

"R-Really? I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"No no, quite alright, Star. I'm not ashamed to admit when I'm wrong." My heart skipped a beat.

"You mean...?" Nancy's stern expression warped into a smile.

"Your idea was fantastic! Better than anything I'd have ever come up with! Why, as soon as I heard it, I quickly sent Sebastian to set everything up with the mayor. From what he told me in the elevator, the mayor was just as eager to start planning for the big event tomorrow!"

"Oh really? Glad I was able to help!"

"Yes, indeed. Now, you might see this as unfair, but tomorrow I will be keeping you locked in your room until the festivities."

"What?" That last statement hit me like a train.

"I noticed you managed to sneak out today. Can't have you wandering the city while we prepare for your big party, can we? It'd ruin the fun." Makes sense, I guess.

"Well, if you say so, Nancy..."

"Splendid! Now, you're free to use the bath before dinner is served." Just as she got up to leave, I remembered a question I had been meaning to ask since I got here.

"Nancy, how is it you're so rich?"

"You didn't know? My grandfather invented the modern Pokeball, while my father marketed the idea to Silph Co. and the Devon Corporation." I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Wait, so every Pokeball I've ever seen...?"

"That's right, Star! My family's invention."

~o~

I had all of my birthday, practically, to ponder what Nancy had shared yesterday. Every single Pokeball, used by hundreds of thousands of trainers worldwide, came from her family's idea. No doubt that meant with every sale of a Pokeball, they get a small profit. No wonder she has no problems buying things for people. She could spend money like that everyday and probably never run out.

Well, my thoughts aside, I was finally released from my cage at the end of my birthday. Before my imprisonment, Nancy made sure to ask me what I wanted to dress up as for the party that night. Being based around Halloween, it'd be a costume party. Again it was on her tab, but I went with a simple, if traditional, witch outfit. When I was finally let out of my room, I found the costume waiting for me out in the hallway.

I got dressed, though rather than put the steepled hat on my own head, I popped it on Vulpix. She looked beyond adorable, though her first instinct was to take the silly thing off. Nothing a bit of scolding couldn't convince her otherwise. I went into the living room, where Sebastian was waiting for me.

"Miss Star, I apologize on behalf of the staff and Lady Nancy. Perhaps it was cruel to have you locked away on this most special day." He gave me a bow, but I wasn't particularly hurt.

"It's okay. Where is everyone?"

"They're already in town. The final preparations were completed recently, so they sent me the signal to escort you into town."

"Thanks, Sebastian. Oh! Wait, I forgot something!" I ran back to my room quickly, jumping for my belt. I pulled out Gastly's Pokeball, and released the ghostly critter. What better 'prop' for this night than an actual ghost Pokemon? I joined Sebastian and Vulpix again in the living room.

"All set!"

We took the long elevator ride down, the entire time my heart racing faster and faster. Just what kind of party awaited me? Would it be a traditional thing, with cake and snacks and a Halloween motif? Or would Nancy have gone the extra mile, and created something unique? Needless to say I was itching with excitement.

The elevator stopped, the doors opened, and I was let out into the city. It was dark and silent, almost like any other city in the middle of the night. Too dark, though: not even the streetlights were switched on. I knew this was part of the decorations. I turned around, but noticed that Sebastian hadn't gotten off the elevator with me. Alone in the middle of the street, I froze on the spot, hiding behind Vulpix and Gastly.

"I know you're there, Nancy," I said to the darkness ahead of me. "You can come out now. I-It's not funny anymore."

A loud click followed, and the lights all around me turned on. A mass of people were standing all around me, and in unison they all shouted 'surprise'! Each and every one of them were in costume, so it was hard to tell which person was Nancy, until she walked up to me. Naturally, she was dressed as a princess of some sort.

"Happy Birthday, Star! And welcome to your party!" Another loud round of applause and cheer came from the crowd. Both my Pokemon were equally excited, and though Gastly flew off into the crowd to join the festivities, Vulpix chose not to leave my side. Once the applause and cheer died down, the crowd began to disperse throughout the city.

"So, what'd you think?" Nancy walked up to me, offering me a cup with something in it. I took a sip, tasting a sweet fruit punch.

"Thank you so much, Nancy! This has to be the best birthday party ever!"

"I'm glad you liked it! It was your own idea, after all! Oh! And before I forget..." She reached into her costume pocket, producing a small box with a big bow on it. "Happy Birthday!"

"Nancy, after everything you've already done for me? This is too much!" I took the gift from her.

"One last gift, I swear! Go on, open it." I smiled at her, and undid the bow. Inside the box was a small rock, which confused me at first. When I brought it out into slightly better lighting, I saw the stone glitter in the moonlight.

"Nancy, is this...? A moonstone?"

"Indeed it is! I had it shipped here from Pewter City in Kanto yesterday. I was afraid it wouldn't arrive in time, actually."

"Thank you, Nancy!" I gave her a big hug, overjoyed at the gift. Of everything she had done for me, this was the most thoughtful of all.

"You're most welcome, Star. Now come on, the party is all around town, so let's take a stroll."

Everything was as it should be for this special day. However, it wouldn't last into the night. Just as the two of us made our way down the street, Vulpix began barking uncontrollably at something in the darkness. Fear was the first thing to strike in that moment, for all of us. Especially when the creature's eyes lit up in the black void. It was a Pokemon of some sort, a large head with a horn floating in the dark. I didn't have my Pokedex handy, so I couldn't quite scan the critter.

"My word, it's a Shuppet!" Nancy exclaimed, drawing the Pokemon's attention. Without thinking twice, the Pokemon rushed her, and just the same, I pushed her out of the way to protect her from the attack. The Shuppet latched onto me instead, and the sensation to follow would be burned into my memory forever.

It only took Vulpix mere seconds to intervene and remove the Shuppet, but in that short time, I felt an intense agony and sorrow wash over my thoughts. Mixed in with these feelings were my own memories, specifically those where my spirits were at their lowest points. All these emotions and sensations bombarded me at once, and all I could do was scream out in pain. When relief finally came, I was left dazed and unfocused. I felt Nancy at my side, her voice distorted in my ears. Vulpix stood her ground ahead of me, barking fiercely at the Shuppet.

I didn't have to issue any orders, either. She immediately blasted Shuppet with a Flamethrower attack, driving the Pokemon back. As my vision cleared up, I saw Gastly return, and join Vulpix in her attack. Gastly used the seemingly harmless Lick to paralyze Shuppet, while Vulpix, still enraged, began to emit an aura of intense heat. Before the Shuppet could recover, Vulpix released that stored energy in a single, concentrated blast. Shuppet was engulfed in flames, followed by a few small but powerful explosions that sent small sparks and embers flying outward.

The Pokemon fell to the ground, thoroughly defeated and burned to a crisp. By this point, several of the other partygoers had arrived on the scene, and looked upon the crispy critter with awe. That is, until someone threw a Pokeball at him and locked it away. Of course, the Shuppet could not resist capture, so the Pokeball went silent instantly. The young lady in the princess costume walked over to collect her prize.

"Show's over, ladies and gentlemen! Star, are you alright? That Shuppet was latched onto your face for a few seconds." Nancy put her hand on my forehead and cheeks, making sure I was alright.

"I'm fine, really. What was a wild Pokemon doing in town, anyway?"

"It's a Shuppet," Nancy answered, bouncing the Pokeball with the critter inside in front of me. "It's a ghost that wanders the streets of cities looking for people with negative emotions. Guess we were unlucky, and it chose to attack, right?"

"Yeah," I said, thinking carefully about what Nancy had said. "Real unlucky."

"But my goodness, what valiant Pokemon you have, Star! Without a second to waste, Vulpix jumped to your defense, and Gastly here came flying as fast as he possibly could! Color me envious." A small round of applause followed Nancy's statement, mainly for the two Pokemon who had a hand (or paw) in saving me. Vulpix ran over to me, rubbing up close. Gastly hovered around my head, keeping a lookout for any other dangers. He was indeed the spirit of Primeape through and through.

~o~

After that, I thought it would be better to retire early. It was my party, so I did feel a bit guilty about being the first to go, but after everything that had happened no one dared suggest otherwise. Nancy chose to stay behind and oversee the rest of the night, as well as keep Gaby and Ty away from me. Once word got out about the attack they swooped in to get another interview. As I rode the elevator up to the penthouse alone, I sat down in a corner and curled up.

"What did that Pokemon do to me...?" The mere thought brought back painful flashes of the attack. Vulpix licked my face, hoping to calm me down. I smiled at her, and scratched behind her ears.

"It's okay, I'm fine. Thanks to you, girl."

That seemed to put her at ease, but I was far from it. I put it out of my mind for the night, and I'd eventually come to forget it almost entirely. But I felt something was missing, deep down in the darkest parts of my memories.

What had Shuppet stolen from me...?


	66. The Voyage to Mossdeep

The Voyage to Mossdeep, Chapter 66

November first.

My first day being eleven years old. The excitement of the previous day was just a memory, and I had a bright and cheery morning to see me off from Lilycove. When I woke up that morning, Nancy was no where to be seen, though most of her servants were still in the house. I was instructed to enjoy my breakfast (like it needed to be said), and then meet up with Nancy on the far east side of town. I took my things with me this time, of course, as I was planning on continuing my journey today. Thanks again to Nancy's generosity, my bag was much lighter, with most of the stuff I had accumulated being shipped off to my house in Pallet Town.

Thus I enjoyed my breakfast, said my farewells to all of the maids and butlers, and hopped on the elevator for the long ride down to town. The entire trip down I had a feeling Nancy had something else planned for me, yet another gift or something to that effect. And by this point I was beyond trying to deny them. After all, anyway I looked at it they'd help me on my journey.

I met up with Nancy on the beach, where she was taking in the warm morning sun. Sebastian was standing nearby, a small basket in his hands.

"Good morning, Star! Did you sleep well last night? Any nightmares?"

"No, I was okay," I said, looking out to the ocean behind her. It sparkled in the morning sun, my next obstacle. Or so I thought.

"Splendid! Now, I know you're probably going to be leaving today, aren't you?"

"Well, I would like to keep moving, Nancy. It's been fun these past few days, but I can't stay here forever, you know." Though if forced to, I could certainly grow accustomed to life in the penthouse. Make no mistake.

"I know, and believe me, I haven't had this much fun in a long, long time! So, as one final farewell from me to you: here." She took the basket from Sebastian, and handed it to me. I looked inside before starting up the usual chatter, spotting only a small piece of paper inside. I read it aloud.

"'Destination: Mossdeep City. One Passenger'? A ticket?"

"Indeed! You'll be riding on the S.S. Tidal, a luxury ship! It'll take you from Lilycove to Mossdeep City. I know you're collecting gym badges, and there's a gym in Mossdeep you're sure to visit. One final gift." I most definitely didn't deserve Nancy as a friend.

"Thank you, Nancy. You have no idea- none, how much all this has meant to me. You're the bestest friend anyone could ever ask for." Even Vulpix chipped in with a few barks, even a playful lick on her hand.

"No, Star; you are. If it weren't for your kind words, why, I don't know where we'd both be today. I thank you, from the bottom of my heart." Nancy gave me a deep bow, which left me speechless. I could tell even Sebastian was taken aback by the gesture.

"Well, I wouldn't want to keep you. The ship departs at noon, so you have a few hours before you should check in. This is goodbye, I suppose." I could tell this was starting to weigh heavily on her.

"Nancy, if it's okay," I said, taking her hand, "I'd like to spend those few hours hanging out with you."

"Thank you," she said, rubbing her eye. "I'd like that."

~o~

The ship's horn bellowed into the air, and she began to pull out of Lilycove's harbor. I waved out from the deck to Nancy and Sebastian, who did the same from the other side. Those few hours passed us by in a flash, despite the fact we did nothing but talk at leisure in a small diner by the beach. Once both of them were out of sight, I let out a heavy sigh. I'd really miss Nancy.

The day was bright and cheerful, and of course everything looks far better when you're aboard a cruise ship. I took a seat by the rails, so I could stare out at the ocean. Vulpix didn't like the sea, so of course she hid underneath my chair the entire time. Naturally, I got bored of staring at the ocean before long, so I went digging through my bag to find something to do. Sadly, that also didn't eat up much time, as most of my junk was now probably half way to Kanto by now. One thing I did dig up was the small box containing the moonstone Nancy had bought me. Instantly I pulled Clefairy's Pokeball and released her.

"Look, Clefairy! It's a moonstone!" I showed her the sparkling rock, and of course her first instinct was to reach out for it. I pulled away just before her small hands touched it.

"Are you sure? If you touch this, you'll be forced to evolve, you know. You sure that's okay?" My warning seemed to reach her, though it did nothing to curb her desire for the stone. It looked like my guess was right, and since Clefairy lived near the moonstone naturally, they'd have no qualms about using it to evolve on a whim. And since that is why I sought out the stone in the first place, I once again offered her the stone.

She took it in her hands, and instantly her body burst into a full glow. She grew a few inches in height, and then stopped glowing. Aside from larger wings and pointier ears, she looked the same as before. As per tradition, I took out my Pokedex to scan her.

"Clefable, the Fairy Pokemon. Its very sensitive ears let it distinguish distant sounds. As a result, it prefers quiet places."

The ship's horn let out another whistle, and in response Clefable's hands shot for her large ears. I gave her a soft pat on the head, but was curious about the ship's horn. It was still too soon to be arriving at Mossdeep, I thought. I looked out to the ocean surface, and saw something massive splashing around just off the side. It was a Pokemon, almost as long and large as the ship itself. The other passengers on the ship had mixed reactions; with some left in awe, others running belowdecks in fear. If that Pokemon attacked the ship, we could be in trouble. But did it have a reason to?

"What is that?" I asked one of the nearby passengers.

"It's a Wailord," he replied. It was a young man in a dark fedora. "They frequent these parts of the ocean, so it's nothing to worry about."

"I see." My Pokedex still in my hands, I aimed it at the large beast as best I could, hoping it would be enough to ID it.

"Wailord, the Float Whale Pokemon. It breathes through nostrils that it raises above the sea. By inhaling to its maximum capacity, a Wailord can dive close to 10,000 feet beneath the waves."

"A Pokemon trainer, I see," commented the young man at my side.

"Yeah," I said with a smile, "I've never seen a Pokemon so big!"

"Wailords are the largest of all known Pokemon. Because they're so large, using them in actual Pokemon battles isn't allowed for the most part, you know."

"Guess not, huh?" They wouldn't fit in any of the arenas I'd visited so far. I could only imagine what would happen if a Wailord was released in one of them. The Wailord let out a mighty bellow, then submerged again beneath the waves. The excitement gone, the passengers all began to shuffle back to their previous stations.

"You off to the Battle Frontier?" The young man remained standing by the rails.

"I am, actually. First I have to make a stop in Mossdeep City, though. Are you going to the Battle Frontier?"

"Sure am. Maybe we'll luck out and have a match there. If we're real lucky, we could end up battling side by side."

"They have double battles there, too?"

"Sure they do! Just depends what the coordinator wants from the trainers. Name's Roland, by the way." I shook his hand when he offered it to me.

"Star."

"My pleasure, Star. Good luck while you're at Mossdeep, and I hope I see you at the Frontier."

Roland gave me a farewell salute, and strolled off to another part of the ship. Clefable was having fun hanging around Vulpix, so I let her wander for a bit outside her Pokeball until the ship docked at Mossdeep. There was really only one order of business for me there, and that was to hit up the local gym.

~o~

I got off the ramp and onto Mossdeep soil. The name was appropriate for the island, as it was covered in grass and shrubbery. The island had an upward slope, with a large building situated at the highest point. It certainly wasn't the gym, so I really had no reason to be going all the way up there. My first stop was the Pokemon Center, as was par for the course, and then the gym. Because of my little vacation in Lilycove, I hadn't done my homework into what kind of gym leader ran the place here, so I'd be going in practically blind.

Skipping ahead ever slightly, I stood before the city gym. The structure was completely round, with only a symbol over the front door. I guessed it to be a replica of the badge, yet something about it all felt familiar. Shrugging off the feeling, I went inside, and followed the circular hallway around for a while before reaching a door marked with the same heart-shaped icon. Now, I was really starting to feel anxious, as I had the strangest feeling of deja vu. When I couldn't pinpoint the reason, I shrugged it off again and went inside.

The arena was the first thing I took notice of. I usually tried to gauge the type specialty through it, but this time it was made of a claylike material. It was hard, yet bouncy to the touch. When that didn't give me any clues, I looked to the gym leader. Rather, gym leaders. There were two kids sitting side-by-side on the leader's end of the arena.

"This is certainly a surprise," came a female voice from the pair.

"Indeed, Liza. I seem to know this trainer!" The second voice was male.

"Hello," I said, interrupting their conversation, "my name is-"

"Star," answered the girl, Liza.

"And she's come to challenge us for a badge," said the boy. The stood up and looked in my direction. Something about all this was starting to weird me out.

"That's right... how did you...?"

"We know who you are..."

"Because we know someone who knows you!" Their unison talk was beginning to get on my nerves.

"Okay, who?" To answer that, they each released a Pokemon. One of them I knew well enough: it was Lunatone, most likely the same one I met at Meteor Falls. The other was shaped like a sun instead, no doubt the companion I never got to see myself.

"You've met before, haven't you?" Liza said.

"At Meteor Falls, you helped Lunatone save Solrock from Team Magma."

"Yeah," I confirmed, "but I didn't exactly do much. I was trying to help, but Lunatone sort of went on his own while I was trying to escape myself."

"Still, it was your intervention that allowed us to meet with our Pokemon," said Liza.

"And that same intervention will allow us to do battle here today." I still didn't know the boy's name.

"Cool," I said, hoping to get this battle over with as quickly as possible. "T hen let's get started! What are the rules?"

"We will each use two Pokemon," said Liza.

"We battle together as one, so there will still be only four Pokemon on the field. Defeat us, and you earn the Mindbadge."

"Okay," I said, looking down at my belt. A double battle, something I hadn't done in a gym match since Viridian City. Only this time, I'd be alone. Against these two psychic type users. I was running a risky gambit here, but I chose the Pokeballs belonging to Clefable and Gastly.

"The Pokemon have been selected," said Liza.

"And now the battle begins. And my name is Tate, Star. I read your thoughts." The very thought scared me. And it all hit me at that moment: the deja vu. It was Sabrina's battle all over again.

"Lunatone, Rock Polish!"

"Solrock, Fire Spin!"

"Gastly, Clefable, scatter!"

That first round was a total disaster on my part, I admit. I didn't expect them to start so strong, though fortunately my panicked command allowed both of my Pokemon to evade the massive tornado of flames. Solrock was fronting their force, with Lunatone hiding out behind him, powering up for the next attack. They had the advantage of being able to synchronize their attacks perfectly, while I had to think on my toes just to keep up. It wouldn't be an easy fight.

"Solrock, Solar Beam!"

"Lunatone, Psywave!"

The two Pokemon exchanged positions, with Lunatone now shielding Solrock while he charged up his upcoming attack. Lunatone aimed for Clefable first, releasing a pulsing wave of invisible energy.

"Clefable, use Defense Curl!"

Clefable quickly encircled herself with a magic mirror, which helped to curb the damage inflicted by Psywave.

"Gastly, use Night Shade!"

"Lunatone, Cosmic Power!"

The moon Pokemon began to sparkle like the stars in the night sky, completely negating Gastly's attack.

"Solrock, Solar Beam!"

The two switched places again, and Solrock released the pent up energy. The beam struck Gastly head on, though for all its flash Gastly was able to weather the attack quite well. I was doomed at this rate, as the two siblings continued to hide behind each other. I had to overpower their defenses somehow before they got another clear shot.

"Solrock, use Cosmic Power!"

"Lunatone, Rock Throw!"

Again the two Pokemon swapped positions, preparing for a long range assault. I'd need to get close for a better chance at attacking, which is when an idea hit me.

"Gastly, use Shadow Ball from atop Clefable! Clefable, use Gravity!"

My two Pokemon joined forces as quickly as possible, allowing Clefable to freely use her Gravity ability on the field. Forced back to the ground, Solrock's Cosmic Power was interrupted, while Lunatone's Rock Throw was rendered useless. Gastly followed up quickly with Shadow Ball, which blasted Solrock clean in the face.

"Keep it up, you two! Another Shadow Ball!"

Gastly hurled another dark attack at Solrock, who was once again powerless to stop it. Though I was happy that the battle was going in my favor, I had the feeling this simple strategy wouldn't be enough to beat these twins.

"Lunatone, Psychic!"

The moon shaped critter behind Solrock began to glow, and both Gastly and Clefable were caught by the powerful attack. The Gravity field neutralized, Solrock was able to get off the ground again, while Gastly and Clefable were held aloft. First was Gastly, who was crushed by the sheer force of the ability, and exploded into several fragments. Though it was painful to watch, he was already dead, so that couldn't exactly be fatal, you know? However, Clefable took an especially painful blow as well. She was flipped face down, and forced into the ground, causing it to crack all around her.

"Clefable! Are you okay!?" There was no response from her, which worried me more. It took her a moment, but she was able to pick herself up. She was badly hurt, and couldn't last much longer in this fight. Gastly also gathered himself up, though he was looking equally tired already. Meanwhile, Lunatone was still in prime condition, and Solrock still had plent of spunk left in him. This battle was on its way downward.

"Lunatone, Rock Throw!"

"Solrock, Fire Spin!"

Tate and Liza both saw this as a means to end the battle, as well. I had only a split second to come up with a strategy, and by some divine miracle it came to me right when I needed it.

"Gastly, Destiny Bond towards Lunatone! Clefable, Healing Wish, NOW!"

Gastly locked eyes with Lunatone, a dark string forming just in time to tie both Pokemon together. Meanwhile, just as Solrock's Fire Spin began to take form and envelope my critters, Clefable clapped her hands together, releasing a few dazzles of light. A second later, both Pokemon were engulfed in the flames, with stones hurled into the deadly mix for good measure. At one point during the seconds-long scene, I had to look away, but I opened my eyes when it all died down.

Both of my Pokemon were on the ground, completely knocked out. I looked to Lunatone, who remained afloat, but only for a moment. A dark spirit took grasp of it, and forced it to the ground as well. My gaze turned back to Gastly, who remained still on the ground. Then, a small flicker of light stirred him, before he rose again, entirely capable of fighting at full strength! Clefable's wish had come true just in time! What's more, Gastly's body began to glow, and I couldn't believe what was happening. He was evolving!

"Solrock, Confusion!" It was down to Tate's Solrock and my new Pokemon, Haunter.

"Haunter, Sucker Punch!"

Solrock's eyes started to glow, but Haunter vanished from sight just after. He appeared behind the sun shaped Pokemon, delivering a powerful punch than forced Solrock to the ground.

"Haunter, use Shadow Punch again!"

"Solrock, Cosmic Power!" I could tell Tate was starting to panic now that his sister wasn't able to lend assistance.

Solrock began to sparkle again, while Haunter's arms vanished from sight. The reappeared again behind Solrock, each delivering a powerful blow that seemed to pierce Solrock's defenses. The large Pokemon was starting to show signs of fatigue, indicating it was time to end this battle.

"Haunter, use Night Shade!"

Once his arms were back in their rightful places, Haunter reeled back to deliver his attack. However, just before it went off, his entire body began to glow. I knew what was to follow: Haunter's Pokemon Power! Tate saw it coming as well, and tried his best to brace Solrock for it.

"Solrock, Cosmic Power!"

The Pokemon put up its defensive barrier once more, but it wouldn't be enough. Haunter's greatest ability, the Nightmare, radiated complete darkness from his body, swallowing Solrock whole. It washed over him like a river, and when Solrock could be seen again, he was knocked out on the ground, traces of the darkness still lingering on his body. A silence reigned over the arena following that victory. It was so close on my end, I couldn't even bring myself to cheer.

Not to mention Haunter's attack was rather horrifying in itself.

~o~

"Congratulations, Star," both Liza and Tate announced in unison. "You've earned the Mindbadge."

Each of the twins offered me a badge, though neither of the two was willing to back down. I ended up taking the badge Tate was holding, since the deciding part of the match was against his Solrock.

"That was truly a startling finish," he told me.

"Indeed, I did not expect any of your strategies to overcome our synchronized attacks," said Liza.

"You know, neither did I. When you squashed my Pokemon with that Psychic, I thought it was all over for me. Thank goodness that last second plan worked out." I pinned the badge onto my trainer card, which now only had one slot remaining.

"You're a talented trainer, Star," said Liza.

"Perhaps there may even be something of a psychic ability buried deep within you." I smiled at Tate, but shook my head at the same time.

"No, I don't think so," I said, shuddering at the thought. "I'm just another normal trainer, thats all. I mean, I've never even caught a psychic Pokemon before."

"You should consider it," said Tate.

"Yes, perhaps it's all you need to begin developing your psychic bond with your Pokemon!"

"Again, no thanks, you two. It was a great battle, and I hope we see each other again. Maybe at the Battle Frontier?"

"Unfortunately," began Liza.

"We can't go. We have other duties here in the gym."

"Oh, bummer," I said. "I guess this is goodbye, then?"

The two twins looked sad to see me go, but there was nothing that could be done. I said my farewells to both of them quickly, as to not drag out their sense of sorrow for too long. Once I was outside the gym, I breathed a sigh of relief. Vulpix looked at me confused, so I kneeled down and gave her a pat on the head.

"I was afraid they'd use their powers and turn me into something, like Sabrina did, remember? Then again, she did say that was impossible, and it was all in my head..."

Vulpix looked at me with her head tilted sideways. I giggled to myself, suddenly remembering why she was so confused.

"I forgot, you were out cold then. Well, never mind. Let's get going, right? We have to cross the ocean again to reach our next destination."


	67. Part time Work

Part-time Work, Chapter 67

My next destination was Sootopolis City, which was across the ocean to the southwest. Money wouldn't buy me passage on another ship, so I had to get there on the backs of my Pokemon. The only one for the job was Vaporeon, while Pelipper carried Vulpix on his back. And going by Pokemon, it'd take at least an entire day to cross the ocean. Fortunately, there were many small islets along the route, allowing my critters to take sufficient breaks.

Before I departed from Mossdeep, I had to suffer through a bit of embarrassment in purchasing a wetsuit. Since it was November and all, the waters around these parts were already freezing cold. If I was to cross the sea, I'd need the proper attire to not catch pneumonia or something and die along the way. And let me tell you, there's quite possibly nothing more uncomfortable than asking a male sales clerk for help in finding the right size suit.

"Excuse me," I said to the clerk at the store, "I need to buy a suit."

"What kind of suit, miss?" At least he was polite. Not that it helped my case.

"Um," I fidgeted, "a wetsuit."

"Oh. Well," already I could see signs of discomfort on his face, "do you know your size?"

"Well," I said, trying to keep my voice steady, "I don't."

"I-I see..." Fortunately, I was the only person in the store that afternoon. Seeing this, the clerk locked the register and came around to my side of the counter. "Well, let's go and try out some sizes."

For once, Vulpix decided to accompany me to the changing room. In the past, whenever I went clothing shopping, she'd hide out somewhere and take a nap until I was done. It was as if she knew awkward hijinks were about to ensue, and she wanted a front row seat.

We arrived at the changing room, and the clerk asked me to wait there while he went to find the suits. It was a painfully tense few seconds, but he did return with quite a few sizes of a plain black suit on hand. He started with the one on top, and held it next to me to estimate the size. It was too small, so he tossed it aside and tried the next one. This one looked to be almost a perfect fit, but just to be certain he tried the next suit as well.

"Try both of these," he said, handing me the suits, "whichever fits best. Then once we know your size, we can find a style that you'd like to buy."

I simply nodded silently, and took the garments into the room. I locked the door, and pulled on it a few times just to make sure the lock was secure. Being all alone in the store with this one other person had me on edge, especially since he knew I'd be undressing in there. I admit I almost didn't go through with it, but I knew that without the suit, I'd be stuck on Mossdeep Island.

It was eerily silent as I got out of my clothes, which was unsettling at first. I had to constantly remind myself that Vulpix was sitting just on the other side of the door, and she wouldn't let the clerk barge in on me. This put me at ease, until I let my mind wander and consider the possibility that Vulpix was already asleep. My boots were off, and next came the actual dress. Just as I was about to slip it off, the clerk's voice rang into the room from outside.

"Have you decided?" His sudden question caused me to yelp out in fear, causing me to lose my balance and fall backwards against the wall. Along with me came the bench that was in the room, causing a loud crash that startled everyone outside.

"Oh god, are you okay in there?" It was just concern for my well-being, but his question caused me to recover from that fall at lightning speeds. I gathered my boots and nearly broke the door down on my way out.

"I'm sorry, but I've gotta go! Thanks for all your help!"

I zoomed past him, running for the exit. Vulpix barked a few times before chasing after me. I really felt sorry for that clerk, having to clean up after me, but I just couldn't handle being there anymore.

~o~

So yeah, contrary to my original plans, crossing the sea by Vaporeon wasn't going to be happening. After that little outburst I couldn't very well return to the store hoping to buy anything, so I was stuck in Mossdeep City for now. With no where else to go for the night, I went to stay at the Pokemon Center, as usual. After leaving my Pokemon with the nurse, I took a seat to ponder my next course of action.

Without money, I couldn't go anywhere. So there really was only one course of action to take!

"Well, looks like there's only one thing left to do," I said to myself. "Find a job!"

"Looking for work, are you?" I turned to see Nurse Joy standing beside me.

"Um, yeah," I said, slightly embarrassed at my little outburst. "Sorry about yelling like that."

"It's alright. And if you don't mind, I could use a bit of help now here. Depends on what you're hoping to earn." I couldn't believe my luck!

"Sure! I'd be happy to work here!"

"Thanks! Now, there's nothing I need you to do tonight, but we start bright and early tomorrow, so best get some rest."

"No problem!"

~o~

To start the next morning, Nurse Joy had prepared a nurse's outfit identical to her own. Once I was changed into my uniform, I joined her at the front desk, where she started by showing me how to operate the PRC; the Pokemon Regenerative Chamber. If you've ever wondered as I have about what happens to Pokemon when you hand them to Nurse Joy, it's actually nothing that extraordinary. Early that morning, a boy came into the center needing assistance. Because it was nothing major, Nurse Joy decided to put me through the test on the spot.

"W-Welcome to the Pokemon Center! C-Can I take your P-Pokemon?" I tried to maintain my smile the entire time, but I was unusually nervous.

"A new nurse? That's cool! I've never seen anyone but Nurse Joy take care of the Pokemon here," said the boy, trying to calm me down through small talk. Though what he said had plenty of merit. The boy placed his three Pokeballs on a tray, and handed it to me.

"Thank you, I'll have your Pokemon healed in no time!"

This is the point where normal trainers don't get to see what happens to their Pokemon. When a nurse, in this case myself, put the tray of Pokemon in the machine behind the counter, it is taken to a different part of the center for treatment. I punched in the code that Nurse Joy dictated, and the tray was carried off by a mass of gears to its destination. Later that day she'd show me where they get taken to.

"Your Pokemon are currently being treated," I told the boy, following protocol. "You're welcome to wait in the lobby."

"Thanks! And don't worry, you're doing great! I'm sure you'll be a full-fledged nurse in no time!" He gave me a sly wink, and instantly I felt my face turn beet red.

"Congratulations, Star," said Nurse Joy from behind me. "You're well on your way to becoming a nurse indeed."

"What? How?" I was trying my best to subdue the redness of my face the entire time.

"You've barely started and already the boys are dropping hints. Don't worry, it comes with the job, so get used to it."

"Oh, that! Yeah..." I tried to laugh it off, but for some reason it only made my face feel hotter.

In an effort to cool me down, Nurse Joy took me to my next task, which was sanitize the operating room. You never know when emergency patients would come in, and keeping all the materials sanitized and ready for immediate use was a daily, almost hourly job. It was basically fancy cleaning duty, but I dared not complain; after all, I did come looking for the job in the first place.

By the time I was finished, Nurse Joy had a small brunch waiting for me in the lobby, which I had the distinct pleasure of sharing with the boy from earlier. I was hungry, so I didn't turn the small meal down. I couldn't help but feel as though Nurse Joy was playing matchmaker by making me eat with him.

"I'm Nate," he introduced himself, "from Petalburg."

"Star, from Pallet Town." Not to seem rude, but I was eating as quickly as possible. I'd rather get back to work than have this conversation.

"Pallet? I've never heard of it. It's not in Hoenn, right?"

"No, Kanto," I said between bites of my sandwich.

"Oh, I see." Nate was trying to find something to use as a conversation starter. And every second he wasted was one second closer I was to finishing my meal and getting back to work.

"So, what brings you to Mossdeep City?" Drat, I was just about to eat the last bite of my sandwich.

"The gym," I said bluntly, before shoving the last piece in my mouth.

"Oh, so you're a Pokemon trainer? Why are you working here in the Center?"

"I need some extra money, so I can take a ship to Sootopolis City." With that, I downed the last of the juice in my cup. I was no longer obligated to talk with Nate.

"You know, there's a discounted fare for trainers on the S.S. Tidal. All you have to do is show them your trainer card and they'll slash the price." I just stared blankly into Nate's eyes.

"Really? I didn't know that!"

"Yeah, it's really awesome!"

"Thanks, Nate! Unfortunately, I should get back to work. It was nice talking to you." I gathered my plate and cup, and stood up. Nate mimicked my action for some reason. Rather, I had a feeling I knew what his reason was.

"Um, Star? D-Do you...?"

"Hmm? What is it?" I knew what he was going to ask, and oddly enough I was being surprisingly calm about it all. Nate took a deep breath before finishing.

"Do you have a b- uh, I mean friend?"

"A friend? Yeah, I have a few friends, why?"

"Uh- what I meant was, do you have a boy... friend?" My heart skipped a beat, despite seeing this coming a mile away. I just smiled at him gently.

"Sorry, Nate, but I do."

"Oh, well, that's great! Yeah, um, I'd better let you get back to work, then."

Nate looked rather sad, almost heartbroken, I'd guess. That was probably pushing it a little, but either way I made my way out of there quickly. I knew me, and I'd probably find some way to make him feel better, and there was really only one way I could do that at this stage. I tossed my plate and cup into the trashcan, and returned to the front desk.

"Enjoy brunch?" Nurse Joy was jotting down something on a piece of paper.

"Yeah, it was great," I said, eager to get assigned something to do away from the lobby.

"I'm glad. Now, I've made a small list here of chores that I'd like you to do while I take care of the front desk. If you have any trouble, don't hesitate to ask." She handed me the list, which didn't look so short at first glance.

"Yeah, I'll do that."

"Oh, and Star?"

"What?" I looked at Nurse Joy, who gestured with her eyes towards Nate in the lobby.

"He actually ask?"

"Ask what? Oh, that. Yeah, he did." Figured there was nothing else to say about the matter. At least, I hoped I was on the same page as Nurse Joy.

"I'm a bit surprised you didn't turn red as a tomato again, considering."

"It's nothing," I said, trying to get away from her now as well, "I already have a boy- I mean, friend."

"Oh, I see. Lucky guy then, hmm?" Nurse Joy smiled.

I didn't give her an answer that time, slinking away to the other side of the Center to get started. Though I said that to both of them, my mind began to question this very statement. Did I have a boyfriend? Someone close in that regard? I stood still for a moment, trying my hardest to remember a name, a face- anything I could.

Nothing came from my memories.

~o~

"Here you go, Star," said Nurse Joy as she handed me the envelope with my day's earnings. My first instinct was to open it and see what I had made, but that wouldn't be very polite in front of my boss.

"Thank you, Nurse Joy. If it's okay with you, I'd like to stay and work another day. Money is something I could use even after Sootopolis City, since I'm planning to visit the Battle Frontier next."

"Well," she said, looking around the counter, "unfortunately there's not much else that needs doing around here. You worked much faster and harder than I originally thought you would."

"Just doing my best," I replied with a smile on my face.

"I don't want to turn you down, though..." Nurse Joy looked through some papers, trying to find me something else to do tomorrow. If she couldn't find anything, I was prepared to just say it was alright.

"Oh! I have the perfect thing! It's bending the rules a bit, but I can always smooth it over with the League later. If you have no objections to the task, that is?"

"Of course not! Whatever it is, I'll get it done!" I didn't know what was in store for me yet, though.

"Perfect! I have to gather up the papers, so don't you worry about a thing until tomorrow morning. It's still pretty early, so why don't you go on and freshen up upstairs, and take the rest of the night off? You've earned it, 'Nurse' Star!"

I was about to ask just what she'd be having me do the next day, but after agreeing with it I didn't want to seem rude. Had to break that habit of myself, to be honest. Still, I took Joy's advice and ran upstairs to take a shower and change back into my own clothes. Once I was done, it was still daylight outside, which was odd considering it was nearing seven o'clock. What's worse, I had a guest downstairs.

"Oh, Nate," I said, trying to hide my disappointment mid-sentence. "What are you doing here again?"

"Well, I thought I could treat you to dinner? I'm sure the food here at the center isn't as good as a restaurant. Not that I mean it's bad, Nurse Joy!"

"Don't worry about it, Nate. Star, why don't you go with him for the night? Mossdeep is quite lovely at night, and it's always better with company, right?" I sighed at Joy's suggestion.

"I guess."

"Great! If you'll follow me, I know this great place where we can have dinner!" Nate went the extra step in having the center's automatic doors open for me. This wasn't what I had in mind at all for the evening, but you know what they say.

Variety is the spice of life. What's the worst that could happen on this 'date'?

~o~

Expecting something hilariously wrong to be recounted? Well, you got your wish.

The restaurant Nate chose was in fact quite lovely, but it had all the undertones of a romantic spot, which put both of us in quite the awkward situation. Nate was clearly smitten by me, flattering though it was, but I honestly didn't want anything to do with him. He was just another face I met on the road. Still, I was determined to enjoy the evening, at least, with Vulpix at my side. Nate had his own Pokemon, too: an adorable little yellow bird Pokemon called Torchic.

Well, after the food was ordered, Nate drummed up some conversation. Pokemon-related, as you'd guess, since he knew next to nothing else about me. It served as something to pass the time, sure, but I ended up cutting it short once the food had arrived at our table.

"I appreciate what you're doing, Nate," I told him, trying to be as polite about it all as possible. "But if it's alright with you, I'll pay for my part of the food."

"What are you talking about? I said it was my treat, so don't worry!"

"If you say so, but I already told you: I'm just not, you know. Looking for anyone right now." In the midst of the atmosphere, it felt it a bit embarrassing to admitting I had a boyfriend, considering it would be a lie.

"That's not why I brought you here, I just wanted to be friendly, is all!" His words probably meant it, but I could tell his heart didn't. Still, rather than make it any more uncomfortable, we both got straight to eating. This is where things started to go downhill.

"Nate, could you pass me the salt?"

"Sure," he said, but instead of doing the simple thing of handing it to me, he went for a different approach. "Torchic, why don't you show Star how good you are at following orders? Pass her this."

I remained silent the whole time, fearful that a single word would somehow break the bird's concentration and cause a larger catastrophe. Torchic took the shaker in his beak, and with his neck turned sideways, walked across the table to hand it to me. It was all well and good at first, until he handed me the shaker. Forgetting his orientation, Torchic straightened his neck and dropped the shaker. I managed to grab it, but the damage was done. Salt poured all over my plate, completely ruining my meal.

"Torchic! Look what you've done!" Nate's scolding only made things worse. Dejected, Torchic turned around swiftly to return to his seat, when his foot accidently kicked my plate over. All of that food was now smeared over my dress, and despite my best efforts, dripping into and onto my boots.

Well, to spare the details, the waiter felt for my plight, and offered to give me a new plate at no cost, but it didn't help my ruined clothes. The evening was already ruined in my book, so I decided to ruin it for Nate as well. Vindictive, yes, but I didn't care at this point. I took off my boots, to prevent them from getting damaged further, but decided not to go crazy trying to clean myself up. The outfit was ruined anyway, so no sense fussing over it. When my next plate arrived, I got right to work eating, saying not a word to Nate.

"Star?" He said after a few moments of silence between us. "Shouldn't you try and clean yourself up a bit before eating?"

"My dress is already dirty and ruined," I said to him coldly. "So why bother? If you don't mind, I'm trying to eat here."

"Well, that's true, but you look a bit... well..."

"Dirty? Messy? Sloppy? It's your fault!" I screamed, causing a few heads to turn towards us. "I politely asked for you to pass the salt, and you go and ask your Pokemon to hand it to me. It's your fault!"

"I-I'm sorry," he said, too ashamed to look me in the eye.

"Sorry won't fix my dress," I spat back. The mood was ruined entirely now, so I wasted no time in finishing my meal. Once I was done, I stood up and stared him down.

"Thank you," I said grudgingly, "for the wonderful evening."

Nate didn't say a word back. By this point, the food on my dress was stuck there, dry as a bone. I practically stormed out of the restaurant, and no one said a word to me as I did. I made my way through the dark streets of Mossdeep, which were, as Nurse Joy had said, quite lovely. The streets were lit up with traditional candlestick lanterns, and the stars in the sky were glowing bright. Were the entire night like this, it would've been a more pleasant memory.

"Welcome back, Star! How was your-" Nurse Joy cut herself off once she got a look at me. "Oh dear, what happened to you?"

"Dinner," I said, looking down at my clothes, "can't you tell?"

"Well," she answered, holding back some giggles at my joke, "it suits you?"

The silence lasted for only a few seconds before we both burst out laughing. I might've been agitated at Nate, but there was something quite funny about the way I looked at that moment. I guess the night wasn't that bad, after all.

~o~

The next morning, I donned my nurse get up a second time before speaking to Nurse Joy. Today Vulpix decided not to tag along, and stayed upstairs by my things all day. Had I talked with Joy beforehand, I'd have learned that my tasks today wouldn't require the uniform.

"Remember how I said I needed to bend some rules for today? Well, I spoke with the League, and got them to agree to a temporary ID badge for you!"

"Temporary ID? For what?"

"Several things, actually! You said you were on your way to Sootopolis City, and then the Battle Frontier, correct?" I nodded. Nurse Joy gave me a smile, and then produced a blank card similar to my own trainer card.

"What is it?"

"A temporary Nurse's Assistant card. I couldn't keep you on as a worker with no jobs to do, so I asked the League to mobilize some paperwork to get you a job in the League itself! If you pass the exam, you'll be a Nurse's Assistant!"

"Whoa, wait up," I said, taking in only half of what she just said. "Exam? You mean I have to take a test today?"

"Oh, don't worry! I'm sure you'll do fine! Listen, if you pass, and get this job, your future beyond Pokemon training will be secured! Working for the League is a great opportunity, and usually difficult to get into. You don't have to follow the road to becoming a nurse, either; any job within the League is at your grasp once your foot is in the door!"

"Alright, if you say so. But what does any of this have to do with me going to Sootopolis City?" Nurse Joy leaned in close, dangling the ID card in my face.

"Certified Nurses, as well as their assistants, get to travel for free." My eyes lit up at the sound of that. Instinctively I went for the card, only to have it yanked out of reach just beforehand.

"Pass that test, and it's yours, Star."

"I'm ready when you are!" As if to disagree with me, my stomach let out a small rumble, begging for something to eat. "After breakfast, of course."

I won't bog down this tale with the specifics of the test, or breakfast that came before it. Being a test for people looking to enter the medical field, of course plenty of the questions revolved around the use of medical equipment. Fortunately, my crash courses throughout the previous day with Nurse Joy prepared me for most of the questions, while the others were pretty much common sense. The other half of the exam were questions pertaining to Pokemon. Again, thanks to my experiences on the road, I was pretty sure I aced that portion of the exam without a single error.

Once I was done, I turned in the packet to Nurse Joy, who got right to checking my answers in front of me. Naturally, she asked me to take a seat, which only helped to raise the tension. What if I had gotten something wrong, something really silly like what purpose does a Pikachu's cheeks serve? I had a tendency to second guess myself like this when the pressure started piling on, as you can tell.

"Well, Star," began Nurse Joy, causing me to leap out of my seat run to the front desk.

"Yes?"

"Um, you got a few questions wrong," she started somberly, which instantly got my imagination cooking up worst case scenarios. "But, it looks like you just barely made the passing grade."

"What? So I passed?" Nurse Joy nodded, handing me the blank ID card.

"Here you go, you're now a Nurse's Assistant under instruction from the Pokemon League's Division of Health. Long story short, you're a nurse-in-training."

"Yay!" I held the card up above my head, my latest trophy.

"Okay, settle down. I'll have it prepared for you as quickly as possible. In the meantime, there's a few other things I found for you to do today to earn your keep. Here's the list." We exchanged items, and without asking another thing I got right to work.

I was on cloud nine at this point, with that major accomplishment on my hands. Sure, Nurse Joy had taken advantage of me by getting me to scrub down the entire lobby, but I didn't care. I couldn't wait to call Mom up later that evening and tell her what happened. Having panicked at the store had been the best thing I'd possibly ever done before!


	68. The Artist of Sootopolis

The Artist of Sootopolis, Chapter 68

Morning came, and so it was finally time for me to move on. I thanked Nurse Joy several times before I left for everything she had done for me, to the point where she probably wanted me to leave as well. With my new position in the Pokemon League, travel across oceans would be a breeze. And there was still one final gym in Hoenn to visit before I could make for the Battle Frontier. After booking passage on the S.S. Tidal bound for Sootopolis, I braced myself for the challenge to come.

I asked around on the ship for information about the gym leader, but was getting mixed answers and reactions. On one end, people claimed the leader was an older gentleman by the name of Juan, an expert water type trainer. Another batch of people claimed it was a younger man by the name of Wallace. Regardless of who would be the leader, I at least knew the type preference that awaited me. My misfortune being that I had no Pokemon on my team that had a significant advantage over water.

"Well," I said to Vulpix as we sat inside a coffee shop on board the ship, "looks like you won't be helping in this next battle either."

Vulpix barked in protest, but it didn't matter. Try as she might against water types, she couldn't hope to win a battle. And I wouldn't risk her getting harmed in such a battle either. I took a sip from my cup, which was filled with a rather powerful coffee. It didn't taste as good as I'd have hoped, but I already paid for it. I pushed the cup away from me.

"Guess just because I'm older doesn't mean I'll start liking these things," I said to myself. I didn't want to buy something else to drink just because I could, either. The money I earned at the center had to last me throughout my time at the Battle Frontier, at the very least. Vulpix jumped onto the table and took a few licks of the coffee. She didn't like it either, as you'd expect.

The coffee aside, I took off my belt and placed it on the table. I had to plan out my battle strategy carefully, since I was more at a disadvantage this time. My team was Smeargle, Haunter, Clefable, Vaporeon, and Pelipper. I'd have to pace myself throughout the match, and make sure to play to my team's strengths. And that meant a study session with the Pokedex instead of relaxing on the cruise.

"If it has to be done," I said to myself with a heavy sigh.

I won't bore you with the details of my study session, and instead jump ahead slightly to when the ship pulled into Sootopolis Harbor. The city was built inside the crater of a volcano, one that erupted from deep under the ocean. Because of this, the harbor was actually just a small dock on the side of the mountain. Passengers would have to go by foot over the mountainside and into the crater. It was a pretty long and arduous hike, too.

~o~

Sootopolis was yet another feast for the eyes. Seeing different kinds of cities and towns while on my journey had become a sort of highlight, and Sootopolis didn't disappoint. It looked like the entire city was carved out of the mountain, with small streets weaving around the place and going in all sorts of directions. The only building that seemed out of place was the gym, which sat in the middle of a small islet in the middle of a lake. Even the Pokemon Center was built into the mountainside, and as usual it would be my first stop.

"Welcome to the Pokemon Center," said the local Nurse Joy when I walked in. "Can I help you with anything?"

"Not really, I just came in to relax for a minute." I took a seat in the lobby, feeling my heart pounding in my chest. Why did I feel so anxious over this match?

"You arrive by ship?"

"Yeah, on the S.S. Tidal."

"I see." She looked rather bored, and desperate for some kind of conversation. Normally I wouldn't mind, but my thoughts were elsewhere that afternoon.

"Do you know the gym leader?" I asked her.

"Wallace? Not well," she said, rolling her eyes. "He doesn't come in here often. He's a rather eccentric trainer, you see. And he doesn't seem to lose matches against challengers often."

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"Well, normally you judge these things by how often the leaders come in to have their precious Pokemon restored to full health. Wallace hasn't come in here for that in at least a few months."

I took a deep breath. All I needed was Nurse Joy telling me that he was a nigh unbeatable trainer. Vulpix started to catch onto my anxiety, and licked my hand a few times to try and calm me down. This was unusual even for me, but I couldn't control myself for some reason.

"Are you alright? You don't look so well." Nurse Joy came around the counter to check my forehead and pulse.

"I'm fine," I said, giggling nervously. "Just a bit nervous, that's all."

"Oh, so you're here to challenge Wallace. Well, don't worry, dear. I'm sure you'll be able to beat him!" That would've been nicer had she not mentioned his track record just a minute ago.

"Yeah, I'm sure you're right," I told her, despite not calming down even a bit. "What's he like?"

"Well, he's odd, I'll give you that. He's a painter, I think, and you know how all artists are. They're kind folk, but sometimes the strangest things upset them. Be sure to look your best before you talk to Wallace, I'm sure it'll help him warm up to you."

With those bits of knowledge in mind, I left the Pokemon Center carrying a free lemonade. Nurse Joy was a bit iffy on letting an apparent nervous wreck out of her sights, but my insisting won her over. There was a small rope bridge leading to the islet, which I crossed over slowly, giving myself more time to calm down. After so many battles like this, I couldn't explain it myself. I opened the door to the gym, and set foot inside.

Instead of an arena, there was a massive pool, with only a few small platforms floating around. Bleachers all around the pool told me this place was probably used for entertainment as well, much like the gym in Cerulean City. However, it was empty that afternoon, with only one person sitting in the bleachers. He was dressed in a white outfit, complete with an odd hat. I took one step forward, only to get yelled at.

"Don't move," he screamed from the other side of the gym. Following his order, I remained perfectly still, as did Vulpix at my side. There was something in front of him, a white square which took me a moment to recognize as a canvas. He was a painter all right, as I saw him stand up to get a better view of the pool and everything around it.

"For what purpose are you here?" Despite asking, his attention was still wholly on the canvas painting.

"My name is Star, and I've come to challenge the gym leader for a badge." I heard the man chuckle.

"And I am Wallace, leader of Sootopolis Gym. I graciously accept your challenge, my lady. However, please demonstrate your conviction by remaining perfectly still for the next few minutes. I must finish this masterpiece."

That was certainly an odd thing to ask of me, but Wallace was in charge. If there was one thing I had learned in my time around Hoenn, it's that the leaders here were all strange people that probably should take their jobs more seriously. Still, I couldn't speak out against them, so I stood my ground and waited for Wallace to finish his painting. The entire time I was asking myself what my standing around had to do with his painting? Did he plan on adding me and Vulpix to the piece just because we walked in on him?

"Alright, I am finished," he finally said, dropping the pallet and paintbrush. He removed the canvas from the easel, and showed it to me from across the gym. "Isn't it the most spectacular piece you've ever seen?"

"Um, sure. It's lovely," I said, honestly not caring about the painting. I heard Wallace let out a sigh.

"Figures a common trainer such as yourself would have no appreciation for the arts. Very well, you came here to do battle, so a battle I will grant you. Take your place on this side of the pool, and we shall begin momentarily."

Wallace carried his canvas away from the pool while I ran over to my side of the field. The entire time I was thinking of using Pelipper first, just to get a feel for Wallace's style of battle by playing keep away. After a few moments, he returned from a room hidden behind the bleachers. A lone Pokeball rested in one of his hands.

"Are you prepared, Star?"

"Yes, sir! What are the rules?"

"We do battle until either of us run out of usable Pokemon. There are no restrictions, except stepping out of the designated battle area." Wallace pointed to a pale blue line that surrounded the pool. My Pokemon would only have a small area to move around in other than the actual pool.

"If but one of your Pokemon breaks this rule, you are disqualified from the match. Are we clear?"

"Yes," I said, holding onto Pelipper's Pokeball in wait. Wallace nodded, and released his Pokemon first. It was a long, peach creature, slender as a snake, but boasting scales of various colors all around its body. I aimed my Pokedex at it as I released Pelipper.

"Milotic, the Tender Pokemon. It is said to live at the bottom of large lakes. Considered to be the most beautiful of all Pokemon, it has been depicted in paintings and statues."

"The battle begins now, Star. Milotic, use Ice Beam."

"Pelipper, dodge it and use Water Gun!"

Milotic reeled back, charging her attack. Pelipper flew around the slender Pokemon, launching its Water Gun attack first. Milotic attacked at the same time, its Ice Beam freezing Pelipper's Water Gun all the way back to him. Before I even realized what was happening, Pelipper was yelping out in pain as it was frozen over entirely. My frozen Pokemon fell down into the pool with a loud splash, floating helplessly back to me with a small push from Milotic.

"Your next Pokemon, Star?" I couldn't believe it. One carefully placed attack was all it took. I called back Pelipper, and went with Vaporeon this time. Wallace wouldn't be able to pull the same trick again.

"Vaporeon, use Bubblebeam!"

"Twister, Milotic."

Vaporeon blasted Milotic from across the pool with his attack. However, before a single bubble landed on her, Milotic whipped up a small tornado with her tail, which made its way to Vaporeon, taking the bubbles with it along the way. Vaporeon managed to swim out of the way just in time, fortunately.

"Vaporeon, use Quick Attack!"

"Captivate, Milotic."

As Vaporeon ran on the pool's surface, Milotic blew a kiss of sorts with her tail at Vaporeon. This caused him to slow down slightly, ultimately making him fall back into the pool when his speed wasn't fast enough to remain above it.

"Use Aqua Tail, now."

"Vaporeon, dodge it!"

It was no question that Milotic was a better swimmer than Vaporeon. She had no trouble slithering right up to Vaporeon as he tried to climb aboard one of the platforms floating on the pool, showing her tail to the small blue Pokemon. Covered in a thick coat of water somehow, Milotic struck Vaporeon dead on, sending him rolling on the water's surface back in my direction. He crashed onto the edge of the pool at my feet, giving me a chance to check on his condition personally.

"Are you okay?" I slapped his face a couple times, but he wasn't opening his eyes. That blow was quite powerful, and the second hit on the edge was the finishing blow. I had no choice but to take him out of the battle.

"Your next Pokemon? Or would you like to back out now?" It was cocky statements like that which fueled my inner rage. I wouldn't lose, not while I still had Pokemon ready and willing to fight. I picked out Haunter next, ready to switch battle plans.

"Haunter, start with Hypnosis!"

"Milotic, Safeguard."

The stunning snake whipped up its tail, forming an instant green barrier all around itself. Haunter swooped in close, flashing his eyes at Milotic. However, a small flash reflected off the green barrier, causing Milotic to to purr almost tauntingly.

"Confuse Ray, Haunter!"

Wallace chose not to do anything this time, allowing me to watch as Haunter's next attack failed again to penetrate Milotic's barrier. The advantage I was hoping to gain through ailments was rendered moot.

"Milotic, use Twister."

"Haunter, go right through it and use Shadow Ball!"

The ghost Pokemon phased out of sight for a moment, while Milotic whipped up the small tornado in front of her. It swooshed about for a few seconds before dissipating, while Haunter was still completely out of sight. Milotic kept her vigil up, but she didn't catch my Pokemon as he reappeared behind her. Cupping his hands together, Haunter blasted her directly in the back of the head with the Shadow Ball attack, forcing her into the pool. Wallace didn't look the least bit fazed.

"Milotic, Hydro Pump."

The attack happened almost immediately, not giving me more than a second to try and anticipate where it would come from. The torrent of water shot out of the pool at lightning speeds, taking Haunter by complete surprise and forcing him clear out of the arena. Instantly I feared disqualification, which would've been a cheap victory for Wallace. However, Haunter wasn't anywhere near the bleachers where Milotic's Hydro Pump landed. Phasing back into view, Haunter showed up near me, beaten and tired but still within bounds.

"How fortunate for you," Wallace mumbled. I smiled back at him, but told Haunter to come in close for a quick secret.

"We need to put Milotic to sleep," I whispered to him. "Ignore everything I tell you to do, and just keep trying to put her to sleep with Hypnosis. Got that?"

Haunter nodded, and floated back over the pool. Wallace knew something was up, but he chose not to make a fuss over my private chat with Haunter. Milotic emerged from beneath the pool, ready to continue the battle. I noticed Haunter slumping a bit in midair, but he had to stay strong just a little while longer.

"Milotic, Water Pulse."

"Haunter, use Shadow Ball!"

Milotic dipped into the pool for a moment, and sprung right back out. With her came a circular ring of water, blasting towards Haunter. The ghost Pokemon stretched himself thin, dodging the attack by passing through the hoop. Once through, Haunter cupped his hands together as if he was going to use Shadow Ball, but instead flashed his eyes. Again it bounced off the barrier around Milotic. My attention shifted to Wallace immediately, hoping he wasn't wise to the plan.

"Milotic, Ice Beam."

"Haunter, Night Shade!"

Both Pokemon used their attacks at the same time, causing a clash and explosion between them. If the recoil was too great, I feared Haunter wouldn't endure the blow. Milotic at least looked unaffected by the blast, while Haunter was barely floating above the pool. Things weren't looking too good.

"Milotic, finish with Aqua Tail."

"Haunter, Hypnosis!"

This was my last chance. Regardless of Milotic's attack, he didn't have the energy to keep fighting. Milotic slithered across the surface to land the blow, while Haunter waited until she was right in front of him to use Hypnosis. Once there was less than a couple feet between them, Haunter locked eyes with Milotic and used Hypnosis. Milotic brought up her tail, but before she could deliver the blow, her focus started to wander. The sleep hadn't taken her totally, but the majority of her strength was gone. It was time for Haunter to go all out.

"Haunter, use Dream Eater!"

Haunter seemed to perk up for a moment, and dug his hands into Milotic's skull! He dug around there for a moment, as if searching for something, which actually made me giggle a bit. Finally, he pulled something out, a glowing white substance. He started to devour it, restoring his energy little by little.

"Milotic, use Recover." Wallace's unchanged tone confused me a bit, as if the tide of battle didn't influence him in the least.

His words didn't reach Milotic, who remained asleep as Haunter continued to feast on her dreams. If Wallace was planning on using Recover as soon as she woke up, I'd have to deliver the finishing blow beforehand. Once Haunter had his fill, I yelled out the next, and hopefully final, move.

"Haunter, use Shadow Punch!"

"Milotic, Recover."

The snake Pokemon started to rouse from her sleep, but wasn't about to evade or use her ability before Haunter attacked. Reeling back, Haunter delivered a powerful punch, no doubt augmented from his previous life as a Primeape. The blow landed right on Milotic's face, strong enough to send her flying backwards. However, she didn't crash onto the edge of the pool, which would've done enough to finish the battle. Now fully awake, Milotic was free to undo all the damage Haunter had racked up.

"Milotic, Recover."

"Haunter, don't let her! Use Shadow Punch again!"

Milotic remained perfectly still, gathering up healing energies. Haunter flew in fast, dragging along a severed fist ready to put a stop to Milotic's healing. Just before she finished, Haunter's punch landed, a critical hit that sent her reeling back again. It still wasn't enough to knock her out completely, though. Just how long could Wallace make this battle last?

"Milotic, stand down." Wallace's command shocked me.

"Haunter, wait!" My Pokemon backed off. There was a silence in the gym, only the sound of water swaying in the pool.

"What's wrong?"

"This battle is over, Star," said Wallace from his end. He placed his Milotic back into her Pokeball to emphasize this.

"What do you mean?"

"I yield, officially. You've earned your victory." Wallace removed that hat of his, bowing down. I was still stunned at his sudden forfeit.

~o~

"So that's why you don't visit the Pokemon Center," I said, watching as Milotic slowly but surely recovered in the pool. Using her own abilities, she was restoring her health at a rate that rivaled the center's machines.

"Milotic has known how to care for herself since long before I came along. There's no need to interfere in the Pokemon world at times."

"Wallace, why did you quit the battle? Milotic's Recover could've beaten out Haunter's attacks with enough time." And this was the truth. Haunter was doing his absolute best, but it still wasn't going to be enough the second Milotic started using Recover.

"My duties as the gym leader state that I must assess the strength and tactic of the challenger, not attain victory in combat. I merely do what is asked of me, and nothing more. And the other thing asked of me is to bestow this upon those that have successfully passed this test." Wallace produced a badge from his pocket.

"You have earned the Rainbadge. Take it with my congratulations." I accepted the mark of victory, instantly snapping it onto my trainer card. That made my collection of badges from this region complete!

"You know, you're different from the other gym leaders," I said to Wallace.

"Soon I won't be a gym leader," he replied. "I have already turned in my resignation."

"Really? How come?"

"There's more to life than Pokemon battles. I wish to pursue other interests. Like my art," he said, pointing at the various paintings surrounding his office. Each was a masterpiece in its own right, depicting not only Pokemon, but people. And among the paintings was one that looked familiar.

"Is this... me?" I leaned in on the painting, making out the details of my dress and the small red animal at my side.

"This was the painting I finished prior to your arrival. You were a last minute, spur-of-the-moment addition. What is your opinion?"

"It's great! You're so talented!" Wallace chuckled at my remark.

"I'm glad you like it. Now, if you'll excuse me, Star, I have other matters to attend to. Farewell on your journey, and take to heart what I have said."

"I will. Thanks, Wallace." I shook his hand before leaving, feeling as though in that short time, we had reached a better understanding of one another.

Out by the pool, I collected Vulpix, who was busy conversing with Milotic. When she walked up to me, I noticed she was carrying something in her mouth. She gave it to me, and I saw it was a scale that changed colors in the light. I looked to Milotic, who showed me her tail, which was covered in similar scales.

"Thank you," I told the stunning Pokemon, tucking the scale away in my bag. It would no doubt make for a great piece of jewelry.


	69. Ever Grande City

Ever Grande City, Chapter 69

Eight badges from Hoenn, along with my other eight from Johto and eight more from Kanto. For almost half a year I'd been on this journey, and these small trinkets were what I had to show for it. That, and the multitudes of experience points I'd earned along the way. And yet, I felt somehow incomplete inside. I was missing something, a reason for returning home. Certainly, twenty-four badges were enough reason to return to Pallet Town, and start planning for my future, right? After all, thanks to the Nurse Joy of Mossdeep, I had the means of getting into the Pokemon League.

"So why am I scared to go back, Vulpix?" I asked my faithful companion. Confused as always at the thought processes of a human, she could only bark at me before licking my face. Oh for the simplicity of a Pokemon's life.

I went digging through my bag, looking for that reason to return home. Surely, if there was something or someone waiting for me there, I'd have some memory stored away in that old bag of mine. After turning it inside out, I found only one clue to my future. A card, bearing the design of a Pokeball, with Winona's face on it. She had given me this to enter the Battle Frontier as her guest. Nothing else in that bag pointed me to Pallet Town. Could it be a sign?

"I guess," I mumbled to myself as I put everything back in the bag, "I guess we're headed to the Battle Frontier after all."

Once I cleaned up my stuff, I left Sootopolis City, taking the long and tiring route back over the mountainside and to the harbor. However, the S.S. Tidal wasn't waiting for me there. The harbor was practically deserted, which scared me for a moment. Just how was I to leave the island?

"Hey, you!" I heard a voice coming from the lone house on the other end of the harbor. "Looking for something?"

"Where'd the S.S. Tidal go?" I asked the man, once I had closed the distance between us.

"She set sail last night, on schedule. Looks like you missed your boat, lass." It was as I feared.

"So, I'm stuck here? When will the ship be back?"

"Next stop here isn't for another week. Had somewhere in particular you needed to go?" Not that it mattered anymore, I thought to myself. Still, there was a slimmer of hope in this man's voice.

"Yes, actually. I was on my way to the Battle Frontier. Is there anyway I can get there?"

"Unfortunately, the Frontier is a bit out of my league, lass. I can take you part of the way, though." The man stepped back into his house for a second, and returned with a Pokeball in his hand. He threw the ball into the ocean, where the Pokemon inside was released. It was a large blue critter, and it somehow resembled the Wailord I had seen before on my way to Mossdeep. To be certain, I scanned him with my Pokedex.

"Wailmer, the Ball Whale Pokemon. While this Pokemon usually lives in the sea, it can survive on land, although not too long. It loses vitality if its body becomes dried out."

"This here's my personal business of sorts. Wailmer here can take you as far as Ever Grande City, which is just north of the Frontier. Once you get there, reaching the Frontier is a much easier task."

"Thank you, sir! How much is this going to cost?" I pulled my purse out of my bag, ready and willing to pay him after having earned a nice sum from the battle with Wallace.

"¥500 will suffice."

"What? Just ¥500? That's..."

"Not a lot, I know. I just ask for enough to feed Wailmer once he gets back." I counted out the exact change, and handed it to the man.

"Now, just hop on board Wailmer's back, and he'll do the rest. Hold on tight now, wouldn't want to fall into the sea."

I nodded and walked over to the edge of the docks. Wailmer came up close, and I slowly climbed aboard his back. Vulpix was a bit reluctant at first, but once she was on and nestled close to my chest, we were ready to sail onward.

"Thank you, sir, for helping me."

"My pleasure, lass. Wailmer, take good care of the young miss. Onward to Ever Grande now! Off with you!"

With that, the round Pokemon sped off like a motorboat. I waved back at the man on the dock as he shrunk in the distance. This reminded me of my travels in Kanto aboard my Lapras, except here I had to stay awake the entire time. Wailmer wasn't nearly as big as Lapras, so I had to hold on to him the entire way. And who knew how long a trip it was to Ever Grande by Pokemon.

~o~

The answer to that previous question was several hours. Maybe Wailmer moved much faster than the S.S. Tidal, or maybe Ever Grande City was closer to Sootopolis than Mossdeep, but it was only a handful of hours before we arrived at the shores of Ever Grande. The city itself was no where to be seen, actually, which led me to believe Wailmer had brought me to the wrong island. However, once I was off his back, the Pokemon swam back out to sea, leaving me stranded on the island.

There was a tall mountain on the island, or better put, the island itself was the mountain. I noticed something of a trail cut through the trees leading up the slope, and let out a heavy sigh. Why did the people in Hoenn insist on making cities in places not easily accessible? I let Vulpix take the lead this time, allowing her to sniff out any wild Pokemon as well as the right path. Unfortunately for her, she didn't get to enjoy her freedom for very long. Nestled in a grove of trees was a Pokemon Center.

"Hello?" I said as I walked into the building. The place looked like most other centers I'd visited in the past, except for the strange layer of dust all over the place. Red flags started popping up in the back of my mind instantly. The center was eerily quiet, almost like some sort of trap. No Nurse Joy would ever allow it to get so dusty in there.

"Vulpix, do you smell anyone in here?" I whispered to her. I knelt down beside her, letting her nose seek out potential trouble. After a few sniffs and perking her ears up, she gave me the all-clear lick. Still cautious, I released Haunter from his Pokeball.

"Haunter, I want you to take a look around," I instructed. "See if there's anyone here. And don't let yourself be caught."

The Pokemon faded into the scenery. Staying close to Vulpix, I went behind the counter of the desk, looking for clues to what happened here. The papers on top of the desk had all sorts of dates printed on them, but the ones on the very top of the pile were dated October 28. That was almost a week ago. I turned on the computer, and saw similar records on display for October 28. The last time it was opened was at around eight in the evening that day.

"Something's going on here, Vulpix," I said to my furry companion. "Where's Nurse Joy? And why'd she leave?"

At that moment, Haunter returned from his search, and his face told me that there were other people in the center. He pointed to the Emergency Room, and then used his hands to force me down behind the counter. He vanished from sight again, and I heard the Emergency Room doors swing open. Whoever it was, he or she wasn't wearing any shoes. Their footsteps were far too soft to be any kind of footwear. Too afraid to peek over the counter, I remained silent, trying to hear where this person was heading.

The footsteps moved to the other side of the counter, then stopped. I had left signs of my intrusion all over the counter, so whoever it was, they'd know something was up. What's worse, thanks to Haunter, I was now left squatting behind the counter, and my legs were starting to give in. If I tried to sit down, I'd give myself away. I remained as steady as possible, my ears focused on the person in the room. My legs didn't last nearly as long as I'd had hoped, and I lost my balance, landing on my butt with a soft thud.

"Who's there?" Came a voice from the other side of the counter. It was the voice of a woman. "Show yourself, or prepare to be forced out by my Pokemon!"

I looked to Vulpix, and with one gesture I made sure she remained silent until I gave the signal. I threw my hands into the air, and slowly climbed up to meet the person face to face. She was oddly dressed, to say the least, with large pink flowers in her short hair, and wearing only a bikini top and skirt.

"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" She asked with a stern voice. In her hand was a Pokeball, and her finger on the release. I kept my hands in the air for the moment, hoping to settle this without any conflict.

"My name is Star, and I'm a Pokemon trainer," I said to her. "I came here looking for a ride to the Battle Frontier."

"That so? Let's see some ID, then, 'Star'." The woman extended her other hand. I reached down with one hand into my bag slowly. "One false step, and I'll send you on a one way trip to the afterlife. No funny business."

I unzipped my bag, and started rummaging around in it for any one of my ID cards. When I looked down slightly to see if I could spot it, the woman gave me the typical grunt when you do something wrong, so I was forced to continue searching blindly. Eventually I latched onto one, and pulled it out of the bag. The woman took it, and looked at the card.

"Nice try, but looks like I've caught myself a criminal." She threw the card on the counter, and I saw it was Winona's Frontier pass. Of all the cards in my bag, that one had to show up. I looked back at the woman, and noticed Haunter phasing back into the visible spectrum behind her. I shook my head slightly, so that he wouldn't do anything to harm her. She noticed my reaction, and turned around. At that instant, Haunter grabbed hold of her hands, causing her to drop her Pokeball and release the critter within. I snatched the ID card and ducked under the counter. Vulpix was ready to fight back, so I picked her up and put her on the counter to help Haunter.

The Pokemon she released was a new one to me, covered in bandages and possessing one lone eye. Its hands were also severed from its body, leading me to guess it was also a ghost Pokemon. And that meant bad news for me. Once this Pokemon saw its trainer in peril, it went to free her from Haunter's grasp.

"Dusclops, Shadow Punch!" She commanded.

"Haunter, let her go!"

My Pokemon let the woman go just in time to avoid Dusclops' attack altogether. She backed away from the counter, ready to take the fight to me.

"Wait! Please, I can explain!"

"Too late for that! Dusclops, Shadow Punch!"

Dusclops propelled his fist forward, only to have it stopped entirely by both of Haunter's hands. I took the opportunity to dig through my bag for my actual trainer card, and showed it to the woman.

"Look! This is my ID! Please, I don't want to fight!"

"Not listening, liar. Dusclops, Ice Beam, now!"

"Phoebe, stop!"

This third voice cut through the tense atmosphere of the room, drawing all attention to her. It was none other than Roxanne, who had arrived just in time to prevent a disaster. Finally possessing a reason to stand down, the woman called back her Pokemon and took a spot next to Roxanne. I put Haunter back in his Pokeball as well.

"Roxanne, it's great to see you again," I said to her. However, her attention was fixated on the state of the Pokemon Center instead. She turned to the other woman.

"Phoebe, what's going on here?"

"I just got here, myself. There was a rumor in town that something happened to this center, so I was asked by Steven to investigate. It was abandoned when I got here, so I went looking around. When I came back, I found this girl here. She showed me an ID with Winona's face on it, so I assumed she was a criminal." Roxanne turned to me.

"Winona? The gym leader of Fortree City?"

"Yeah," I answered her, still a bit confused at what was going on. "She gave me her Frontier pass to get in."

"Or so she says," spat back the woman, whose name I gathered to be Phoebe at last. Roxanne stepped in to defend me.

"Star here is trustworthy. If she said Winona gave her the pass, we can trust her." Turning to me, Roxanne's gaze pierced deep into my being. "Though I must ask, what were you doing here, in the first place?"

"Well, the S.S. Tidal left me in Sootopolis City. A man who works at the harbor let me borrow a Pokemon, which brought me here. He said I could find a way to the Frontier from here much easier."

"The S.S. Tidal docked on the other side of the island early this morning," said Phoebe. "And the only way through to this center is through Victory Road. I have been assured by the guards that no one has passed them in over a week."

"Then for the time being, we can remove the light of suspicion off Star. More importantly, we have to find out what happened here." Roxanne walked past me to the counter, where she flipped through the same papers I had.

"The latest one has the date October 28 on it," I chipped in, hoping to help. "And the computer says the same thing."

"Nurse Joy last checked in with the center in town on that date," Phoebe said, never taking her eyes off me. By this point, even Vulpix was starting to become wary of her glare.

"I spoke with Steven on the way here," said Roxanne, dusting off her hands. "He said to keep an eye out for Team Aqua. They've been trying to keep some operation hidden out here, but Steven has someone investigating them from the inside. Apparently, something critical to their 'Master Plan' is focused here."

"If that's true, they've long since gone. But why take the Nurse with them? What good would it do them to take a hostage? They'd only draw unnecessary attention to themselves, especially when that hostage is a member of the League."

I felt out of place around these two as they pieced together this puzzle. When it usually came to matters revolving around Team Rocket or any other branch of theirs, I was always sort of the 'wrench in the gears' no one expects. And honestly, the last thing I wanted now was to get involved in yet another fiasco with Team Aqua or Magma. Maxie of Magma was still out for my head, as far as I knew.

"Maybe not..." Remarked Roxanne, as she punched some keys on the computer. "Star, did you press anything on this screen?"

"No, I just turned it on." At least, I hope I hadn't pressed anything by mistake.

"What are you getting at, Roxanne?" Phoebe walked around the counter to see the screen for herself.

"This file was last opened on the 28th, yet the record shows there was activity on it just a few hours ago. See? There's some letters here, like someone mashed on the keyboard by accident."

"They may still be here," said Phoebe, releasing her Pokemon again. The frightening critter looked over in my direction with its one eye, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Dusclops, I need you to search this center from top to bottom. We need to know if there's anyone still inside, and make it quick!"

"I can help, too!" I pulled Haunter's Pokeball from my belt, and released him next to Dusclops. "Haunter, help Dusclops search the place, okay?"

Haunter nodded, and followed the other ghostly critter through the ceiling. Phoebe's glare remained strong, but now that I was helping in some way, it didn't bother me as much. Roxanne punched at the keyboard some more, but eventually she just turned it off.

"Nothing else we'll be getting from this thing. While your Pokemon explore the center, I'll search outside for any clues." Roxanne ran outside, leaving me alone with Phoebe. That had me a bit on edge.

"I'm sorry," I said, hoping to clear the air between us.

"Yeah, I might've been a bit quick on the trigger there myself. But we're not done yet. And honestly? I still don't trust you, regardless of what Roxanne said." Well, that certainly made me feel better. Vulpix growled at her in response, to which she just scoffed.

"Um, who are you, actually?" I knew her name, but that wasn't exactly much to go on. Her choice in attire also didn't offer many clues other than a resort waitress.

"I'm a member of the Elite Four. Now best to stay quiet until our Pokemon return."

Elite Four? I couldn't believe it; SHE was one of the four greatest trainers in all Hoenn? In another life, I would've met her in battle. My next question would've been why she was dressed as she was, but I guess that would go unanswered for now. And ever.

After another few minutes of awkward silence between us, her Dusclops returned from his search. Haunter, however, was no where to be seen.

"What happened up there? Where's Haunter?" The Pokemon moaned in a low, gruff voice. Phoebe's facial expression changed radically on the spot. She nodded, and told Dusclops to lead the way.

"What's wrong?"

"They found something," she said to me. "Your Haunter is still up there, making sure nothing happens to what they found."

I followed Phoebe to the second floor of the center, not taking the time to inform Roxanne of what we found. Another question that floated about my mind on the way was how Phoebe was able to understand her Pokemon. All I heard was a moan that sounded like something you'd do to scare someone. Clearly I was out of the loop here on more than one level.

Up on the second floor, we saw Dusclops and Haunter hovering around a cabinet in the corner. The lock was intact, and upon closer inspection we noticed it was also tampered with to prevent it from opening. Someone had broken a key inside the lock. I leaned in close to the door, wondering what was inside. Inside, I heard what sounded like breathing.

"There's someone inside!" Phoebe pushed me back and pointed at the doors.

"Dusclops, break it open!"

The Pokemon grabbed onto the handles of the cabinet, pulling back with all its force. Haunter chipped in as well, and between the two, the doors of the cabinet came flying off their hinges. Inside, we saw Nurse Joy, who was tied up and gagged. Phoebe pulled her out of there, careful not to pierce either of them with the needles inside. After removing the gag from Nurse Joy's mouth, she shook her gently a few times.

"Joy, wake up," she said, slapping her in the face a few times. No matter what she did, the young nurse wouldn't rouse from her sleep.

"Is she...?"

"No, she's just out cold." Phoebe looked inside the cabinet again, catching an open bottle on the top shelf. She closed it tight before asking for my help in moving Joy away from the cabinet.

"What was that bottle?"

"Chloroform. It knocks you out cold. They must've left the bottle open up there on purpose, and the smell covered the entire cabinet. Breathing that much in could be deadly, but she'll be fine once it starts to wear off."

We laid Nurse Joy down on a hospital bed nearby, fanning her with some papers. At around this time, Roxanne joined up with us again, her Nosepass following as best it could.

"I found them! Team Aqua grunts, out in the woods nearby," she said. Phoebe instantly dropped the papers and made a run for the staircase, but Roxanne grabbed hold of her arm. "Wait! What about the nurse?"

"She'll be fine, someone should just stay behind and watch over her, just in case. Star, take care of that while we handle Team Aqua."

"No, you should stay here, Phoebe," said Roxanne, pulling her back. The young woman wasn't taking well to the order.

"What? Why me?"

"You have more experience with first aid and medicine than both of us. If something were to happen to the nurse, you'd be the best candidate for helping her. Star and I can take care of the grunts outside. Understood?" I was a bit surprised how Roxanne wasn't afraid to order around a member of the Elite Four. The way I saw it, Phoebe was her superior in at least one regard, not to mention she was the best trainer amongst us.

"Fine. Dusclops, go with them. Roxanne, I'm sure he'll help you take care of those guys."

"Sounds good. Star, let's go!"

I followed Roxanne and her Pokemon back downstairs and outside. We cut through some overgrowth behind the center and came upon a small camp. From the trees, I could count at least a dozen grunts, but no one in particular that looked to be in charge. More importantly, there were no members of Team Magma in sight, so no chance of running into Maxie.

"Listen up, Star," Roxanne whispered to me. "We'll catch them by surprise. I'll attack first with Nosepass, then have your Haunter and Dusclops attack from behind them. Once their attention is divided, join in with Vulpix from this side to finish them off."

"Um, okay," I said back, "but shouldn't we come up with a better plan than that?"

"No time. Here we go."

Literally, we went. Nosepass jumped out of the bushes, catching all the members of Team Aqua by surprise with a Rock Throw attack. The barrage of boulders managed to knock a few of the grunts unconscious, making it easier for us. Once all the attention was on Roxanne and Nosepass, I gave the signal for Haunter and Dusclops to attack. The two Pokemon vanished from my side, and reappeared amongst the other grunts. As a few of them released their own Pokemon, I jumped out of the bushes myself with Vulpix to help out.

Being out of their element, the Aqua grunts were forced to battle us with Poochyenas and one Mightyena. These were clearly not their best Pokemon, as a few choice attacks from Nosepass and Vulpix were easily knocking them out. It also helped that Haunter was going around paralyzing them with Lick attacks, and Dusclops was holding down the Mightyena on his own. This entire battle was a bit of a mess, but thanks to the help provided by Dusclops, mainly, we were able to knock out all of their Pokemon.

"You won't get away with this," threatened one of the last grunts. He was being held down by Haunter, and try as he might, he couldn't break free of the Pokemon's grasp. Roxanne kneeled down in front of him.

"Tell me, what is this 'Master Plan'? Champion Steven knows about it, so it would do you well to answer my question truthfully."

"'Master Plan'? Hah! Your Steven doesn't know anything!" The grunt's burst of laughter caused droplets of spit to land on Roxanne's face. She didn't like that, as she swiftly took her palm to his cheek.

"Hit me all you want, kid. I won't be talking anytime soon."

Roxanne scoffed at him, but was forced to back off. She walked over to me, wiping away the spit on her face.

"I'm sorry," she said to me quietly. "I was out of line there."

"Don't worry about it. But, you know something? I think I know what he's talking about." Roxanne's eyes widened.

"What? Really?"

I nodded. It was a hunch, but it was based on something I had seen myself. I walked over to the grunt, who just smiled at me.

"Pigtails couldn't get it out of me, so she sends the brat? What are you going to do, kid? Scratch me?" I ignored his insults, and looked over his entire body. If my hunch was right, there'd be something in his pockets, or on one of these grunts. Fortunately, I didn't have to look very far. When I stepped to the right, I noticed there was a strange bulge on the back of his head, where the knot to his bandana was. He looked in my direction in an attempt to conceal it.

"Like what you see, kid? Sorry, but I don't date brats."

"Hold still," I said, reaching for that concealed trinket. The grunt tried to push me away, but Haunter forced him down further, allowing me to yank off the bandana. Out fell what was being concealed, a purple Pokeball. I picked it up and brushed off the dirt, seeing a small letter 'M' printed on the front.

"What is it, Star?" Roxanne took the Pokeball from me.

"It's a Master Ball," I said, pointing at the letter. "It's a special kind of Pokeball that can capture any Pokemon without failing."

"What? Is this possible?" Roxanne looked down at the grunt, who wasn't talking anymore.

"I took one once from Giovanni, the head of Team Rocket. They're made by Silph in Saffron City, but they're extremely rare and expensive. Giovanni probably had another one made, so that one of these two teams could capture a rare Pokemon like Kyogre or Groudon."

"It all makes sense, now," said Roxanne, looking down at the device. "When the police in Mauville caught the Team Magma members, they confiscated a special kind of Pokeball, but the details were never made public. Steven got a hold of it, and turned it in to the League. When that happened, Team Aqua must've have these grunts smuggle the other Master Ball to Archie, Aqua's leader. If they had managed that, they could've captured Kyogre after all."

"But, why did they take so long? Why wait for all this time here, and risk getting caught?" I asked.

Carrying something as important to the plan as this Master Ball, that was the one thing that wasn't making sense to me. Roxanne seemed to have the answer, though. She handed me the Master Ball and kneeled down in front of the grunt again.

"Because Archie has disappeared," she said, staring at the grunt, "and you didn't know what else to do."

"I ain't talking." He turned away from Roxanne, but that was just the response she was looking for.

"Like Maxie, Magma's leader, Archie has disappeared. They haven't been seen or heard from since the Mauville incident. I have to inform Steven. Star, help me get these guys tied up. We'll meet up with Phoebe and contact the police in Ever Grande."

~o~

After we took care of the grunts, we brought them all to the Pokemon Center. Nurse Joy had recovered while we were gone, and Phoebe had already called the police in Ever Grande City. While it would take them a few hours to arrive, Roxanne made some phone calls to the city herself. After trying for some time, she learned that the champion wasn't in the city.

"He must've taken off after sending me here," remarked Phoebe. "A break in the case, maybe?"

"I'll have to keep searching for him. If Archie and Maxie are indeed together in hiding, it's imperative we locate them at once. If they escape now, there's nothing stopping them from starting up a whole new mess with new recruits."

Of course, all this had nothing to do with me. I told both Roxanne and Phoebe that I was just on my way to the Battle Frontier, and needed a ride there. Roxanne offered to take me there, since that was her next stop anyway. Her involvement in this business was minor, and what we had accomplished today was already a major step forward in stopping Team Aqua's plans.

The trip to the Frontier would have to wait until tomorrow, though. Once the police arrived at the center, it was decided to have Nurse Joy relocate to Ever Grande proper for medical treatment. In the meantime, the center here would be closed. For our assistance in apprehending these criminals, we were welcome to stay at one of Ever Grande's most prestigious hotels for the night, courtesy of the Pokemon League. This awesome reward still had one major downside, however.

It would be another few hours of hiking through a cave before we got to the city. Oh the joy...


	70. The Frontier Tower

The Frontier Tower, Chapter 70

My stay in Ever Grande that night was all well and good. I won't meander on it for long, because despite being built on a lake atop a mountain, there really wasn't much else to the city. The main attraction anyway was the Pokemon League building in the center of town, and going there was not on my list of priorities. Though, something else was on my mind that morning, as I had breakfast in the hotel with Roxanne. Two things, to be exact.

"Roxanne, where is the League Tournament held?" See, back in Kanto, the tournament held prior to allowing a single trainer to face the Elite Four. And it was held right inside Indigo Plateau. However, the building in the center of Ever Grande was far too small to serve that purpose.

"Well, we've always held that tournament in the Battle Frontier, prior to it actually donning that name. When the Frontier organized into what it is today, the Hoenn League changed its rules and procedures quite a bit."

To sum up the lengthy, if detailed explanation. Rather than hold a seasonal tournament like Kanto, the Battle Frontier offered qualifying battles year-round. To get a shot at the Elite Four, you'd have to accumulate enough prestige at the frontier. It was essentially a do-it-yourself tournament, where you set your own pace and had a bit more freedom in how to earn your merits. The Frontier had plenty of fighting styles to choose from: from simple one-on-one fights, to the point based battles I experienced in Fallarbor Town, and many more. I wasn't expecting to take part in any of them, but I'd soon be told otherwise.

"Thanks for the explanation," I told Roxanne. "There's one other thing I wanted to ask you."

"Go ahead."

"What's the deal with you, Flannery, and Winona?" Perhaps that was a question I shouldn't have asked. Roxanne's expression darkened instantly.

"It's a long story," she muttered. "I'd rather not say. Besides, it's none of your business!"

That pretty much solidified it. Roxanne wasn't going to share, Flannery foamed at the mouth when she tried to explain, and Winona seemed to be the one on top with all the answers. Once I got to the Battle Frontier I had the strangest feeling this would all come crashing down on me.

Still, an invitation was an invitation after all. After breakfast, Roxanne and I hopped aboard a small ferry that would take us to the Battle Frontier. Circling around the island of Ever Grande, the ferry carried us south for an hour. In the distance I could see a massive tower jutting out from the island, with several other large buildings all around it. Vulpix barked when she noticed what looked like a giant Seviper hissing at us.

"What's that?"

"The Battle Pike," responded Roxanne. "It's one of the attractions. It's something of a maze the trainer must conquer, battling along the way and avoiding potential hazards."

"Sounds interesting," I said. And indeed it did, but I also didn't want to have anything to do with it. The entire thing smelled of Trick Master, and that was one memory I didn't like brought up.

~o~

Once the ferry docked and we were let off, Roxanne and I went our separate ways. I was here to explore and have fun, after all, while she was currently on a mission.

"When you get tired, just head for the Battle Tower," she said, pointing at the ridiculously tall building on one side of the island. "You'll have a room waiting for you."

"Thanks, Roxanne! I'll see you later!"

And with that, I let myself get lost in the crowds of trainers populating the island. I guessed with the Frontier being a relatively new attraction, most of the trainers from Hoenn were running around here. Would explain why I didn't run into very many of them on my travels the past few weeks.

Aside from the gatherings around the battle stadiums, there were numerous gatherings around stalls and stands selling stuff. From food to trinkets and souvenirs, it was a Pokemon trainer's paradise park, indeed. A familiar face I happened to come across was the woman who sold me my doll in Slateport City! She was still hawking those dolls, so I kept my distance a bit. I didn't want to go wasting more money on another useless toy. And I knew if I got too close, I'd succumb to the impulse.

I picked up Vulpix at one point and carried her around with me. The island's paths were packed, and I didn't want her getting hurt trying to weave through the sea of legs. As a matter of fact, pushing through the crowds was tiring me out much faster than I anticipated. After all, I was typically half the size of most of the trainers running about. After less than half an hour of walking I was already feeling beat. I looked for the nearest place to sit and take a breather, settling on a table that was occupied by someone having something to eat.

"You don't mind if I sit here, do you?" I asked the person across from me.

"Suit yourself, I'm eating anyway." She said with her mouth full. I had a feeling I recognized the voice, but I didn't bother to get a good look at her face. I sat down in the chair and let Vulpix sit on the table. The crowd just ahead didn't thin out, making me wonder where all these people came from.

"I swear there weren't so many people here when I got here," I said to myself.

"The Battle Arena just closed for lunch. All those trainers got to eat, too." I looked over to the person across from me, finally realizing who it was.

"Flannery?" She looked up at the mention of the name. It was certainly her, though it baffled me how I didn't recognize her outlandish red hair at first.

"Well, I'll be! Star! Never expected to run into you here! I was gonna look for you later elsewhere." Flannery dragged her chair around the round table so we could sit closer together. Vulpix barked at her to say hello. "Good to see you, too!"

"Did I get here just in time to meet up or something?"

"Something like that. We get a week off with every season, though most of the time we just go where the League tells us. That's what I was told, anyway. And since you were coming here, I was hoping we'd run into each other! So, how've you been?"

"Great! After I beat Winona, she let me borrow this," I told her, showing Winona's ID card. Flannery snatched it out of my hands, staring at it for a moment before glaring at me.

"So Roxanne gives you a free pass and Winona lets you in with her own card," she scowled.

"Guess I'm just popular," I said, scratching the back of my head.

"Yeah, popular. We'll see about that."

I didn't like the sound of that, but it didn't worry me too much either. I knew Flannery and the other two all had something old amongst them, so it was just a matter of time before I was in on it. And to be honest, by now I was more curious than reluctant. After Flannery finished eating, she asked to join me on the rest of my stroll through the island. I denied, though, and suggested we check into the room at the Tower before going out again later. Perhaps in the afternoon or late at night the streets wouldn't be so crowded.

The Tower's interior was practically identical to a hotel. Sure, there were trainers and their Pokemon all over the lobby, but that was also a pretty common sight in normal hotels. I checked in at the front desk, and was informed that I had a room reserved on the eleventh floor. How appropriate, I thought to myself, as I hopped into an elevator with Flannery. We stood in a corner, surrounded by a dozen other trainers on their way up.

"You have a room here, Flannery?"

"Not yet, but I'll make arrangements later. You don't mind some company for a while, do you?"

"Of course not!" I replied with a smile.

"That's cool. We're friends, after all."

My first interpretation of that line was simple enough. We were friends, but it wasn't the reason she brought it up. Of the three ladies, Flannery was so far the only one not to make an effort on my behalf. I wasn't looking for charity, mind you, and neither did I want any of them giving me anything else free. I was appreciative of the offer Roxanne and Winona made, but I didn't ask for any of it, either. If only I could put that into words as easily as it flowed in my head.

When the elevator arrived on the eleventh floor, I got off with Vulpix and Flannery. My room number was 1148, so we'd have to do a bit of searching in the halls to find it. To relieve some of the tension I felt around Flannery, I brought up some conversation.

"If most of these rooms are for trainers to stay," I started, "where are the battles held?"

"Beats me, I've never been here. Maybe there's an arena on some other floor? Oh! Maybe it's on the top of the tower!"

"This tower is huge. How high up do you think it goes?" From the ground, you couldn't see the top. And while I was on the ferry, the higher end was covered by the clouds.

"Eighty floors? Maybe a hundred, who knows. Look, this hall has rooms starting with 40!"

We went down the hallway, passing over a few doors on the left hand side until we reached the room marked 1148. I opened the door with the electronic key I was given, and went inside. The room wasn't anything special; a bed, a couch, a table and a few chairs, a TV, bathroom and closet. A tiny little house to live in while you were on the island. But since this was my first visit, I was left wowed all the same.

"This is so cool!" I tossed my bag on the floor and jumped on the bed, testing out the softness. The bed was surprisingly bouncy, which just begged for me to start jumping on it. Even Vulpix jumped on it, letting herself get tossed around as I bounced.

"What are you, four? Get down from there before you hurt yourself," said Flannery from the other side of the room. Ignoring her for a second, I let myself fall down on my back, bouncing me off the bed and right on my feet.

"You're no fun," I told her, checking out the small fridge stashed behind the table. There was plenty of bottled water inside, but nothing to eat. "I'm getting hungry, but all we have is water."

"Order something, then. There's the phone by the door." Flannery pointed at the wall, where a small panel and receiver sat. I walked over to it and picked up the receiver. There was a dial tone for a moment, before a voice sprung up.

"Room number?" It asked me.

"Um, r-room 1148, sir."

"Is there anything you need, miss?"

"Well, I'm kinda hungry," I said, unsure how else to put it. Suddenly, the panel flashed on, showing me a wide selection of meals with prices attached to them.

"The menu should be displayed, miss. Take your time in making a selection, then pick up the receiver again and input the corresponding code. For special orders, please contact us directly by dialing zero. Is there anything else you need help with?"

"Um, no, not really."

"Thank you for staying with us. Good-bye." Just like that, the person hung up, and the dial tone returned. I put the receiver back on the wall, and looked at the menu onscreen. After settling on a bowl of fried rice, I dialed it in, and went back to jumping on the bed. Flannery just shook her head at me from the couch.

"You really should stop doing that."

"You're just scared~!" I taunted. Perhaps I was still at that age where these dangers registered as fun instead, but I'm certain everyone knows the sheer joy of jumping on a bed. I didn't expect Flannery to buy into my taunt, either. Then she started taking off her shoes.

"I'll show you!" She ran at me, hopping on the bed to bounce alongside me. Before long, it became less about trying to get me down, and more about who was having more fun. This lasted for a little while, until I heard a knock on the door.

I got off the bed to answer the door, figuring it was the rice I ordered. When I opened the door, I saw not only the waiter, but Winona standing there. She took the meal from the waiter, and let herself into the room. That's when she caught Flannery jumping on the bed.

"Just what are you doing?" She told the redhead on the bed. Surprised by the random guest, Flannery miscalculated a jump and fell right off the bed after bumping her head on the ceiling. By the sound of it all... well, it must've hurt bad.

"Winona, what are you doing here?"

"I came to visit Star. And you? What were you doing jumping on the bed like some wild kid?" Ironically, Flannery looked over to me for some kind of answer. When Winona turned to look at me, I just slyly turned my head away from the two.

"Never mind, it's your neck, anyway. Star, I have something to tell you." Winona placed the rice on the table and motioned for me to sit with her. Whatever this something was, at least it couldn't possibly ruin my lunch for me.

"What is it?" I asked as I took a seat and prepared to eat. As I started chewing the first spoonful, Winona dropped it on me.

"I took the liberty of signing you up for some matches here in the Battle Tower." That first swallow went down harder than trying to swallow a rock. Not that I'd know what that felt like.

"What!? I didn't want to do any battling here!"

"How thoughtless of you, Winona," remarked Flannery from the couch.

"I'm sorry, but in order to authorize the cost of having you in this room, you have to at least participate in some battles. If you lose, there's no harm done. But if you win, there's some spectacular prizes to be had." I just sighed.

"I came here just to enjoy myself," I muttered. "I didn't want to have to worry about battles. Do I have to?"

"Yes," Winona said bluntly. "If not, I'm afraid I'll have to ask the Tower to charge you for the expenses of the room."

"How much will- actually, never mind." If there was one thing I didn't want, it was to have to pay for being here. I didn't have much money to begin with, and I was certain this place wouldn't be cheap.

"I'm sorry, Star, but rules are rules. I suggest you finish eating promptly, because your first match is scheduled to begin in less than an hour."

"So soon?"

"Once you check in, your matches are determined by the computer downstairs. Your first match is at 2pm, so prepare accordingly. I'll see you after the match."

Winona rose from her seat and left, just as suddenly as she entered. I was wrong: what she had to say did end up ruining my lunch. I took another bite, finding it didn't taste half as good as the first.

"Hey, don't let it get you down, Star. You're a pretty good trainer, so long as your Pokemon don't fly off the handle on you." Flannery said, taking Winona's chair in front of me.

"Thanks. I guess it won't be too bad, right? It's just a regular Pokemon battle."

"The Tower has some rules you have to follow, but other than that it's all routine. Just give it your all, and have fun with it! You can count on me to be cheering you on, right beside you!"

Flannery gave me a wink, causing me to smile slightly. I looked over to Vulpix, who was sleeping soundly by the bed. After all was said and done, it was her and my other Pokemon that had to do most of the work to keep me in the room. And I knew they had no problem doing their part. I took one more bite, and my smile widened. The delicious flavor of the rice seemed to have returned.

~o~

The elevator stopped on the 37th floor, opening its doors to let myself, Vulpix and Flannery off. Unlike the other floors, this one consisted of a single hallway, with a total of three doors on either side. There were a couple trainers standing in the hall, typically two of them on either side of a door. Guarding each door was also a man dressed as a referee. I walked over to door five, seeing a teenager slouched beside the door.

"Hello," I whispered to the referee, "I'm supposed to go into room five?"

"Is this your first time here?"

"Yes, sir."

"Please select three Pokemon to take with you into the battle." I looked down at my belt, unsure what Pokemon to take into the battle. Without some clue as to what kind of Pokemon this other trainer would be using, I could very well prepare for the advantage. I'd have to go in with a well-rounded team. I picked out Pelipper and Haunter, which complete with Vulpix gave me plenty of diversity for the upcoming fight.

"I'm ready," I said, holding the two Pokeballs in my hands. The referee checked his watch.

"Are you ready as well?" He asked the teenager by the door. In response, the young man showed off his three Pokeballs. "Very well, you two may enter the arena now."

The referee opened the door, allowing us through. The teen went in first, followed by myself and Vulpix. When Flannery was about to enter, the Referee stopped her in her tracks.

"I'm sorry, but only the two combatants may enter the arena. You'll have to wait outside, no exceptions."

"Oh, that sucks. I'll see you when you get back to your room, Star!" Flannery screamed into the room, despite me being no more than a few feet away. She gave me a cheerful wave as the Referee closed the door. I turned around, seeing the teen standing close by. Since he took the side closest to the door, I had to walk across the arena to the other end. Once I was in position, he released his first Pokemon. It was a familiar one, Golem.

"Aren't there some rules we have to follow?" I yelled out to him.

"We battle until either of us loses," he said, not raising his voice much. He then pointed to a camera mounted on the wall. "The League is watching this battle to make sure it remains fair."

"Oh, okay!" I reached for Pelipper's Pokeball, when the teen waved his finger in my direction.

"Your Vulpix is already visible, so you must begin the battle with it. Rules." I looked to the camera, and though I obviously couldn't see anyone looking back at me, I didn't want to get disqualified on the spot.

"Okay, fine. Vulpix, you're on." My small Pokemon took to the field, ready to face that Golem head on. A soft bell went off, and the battle had begun.

"Golem, Earthquake!"

"Vulpix, use Quick Attack!"

The heavy hitting Pokemon stomped on the ground with all its might, causing the arena itself to crack and break up into several pieces. However, Vulpix had already vanished from sight, dodging the powerful blow. She reappeared on top of Golem, safe from the Pokemon's attacks.

"Golem, Smack Down!"

"Vulpix, return!

The rock Pokemon tried to shake Vulpix off its back, but she gracefully leapt off the Pokemon and ran back across the field to me. There was no rule about calling back critters, so I had no problems turning this battle to my favor. I picked Pelipper's Pokeball, and released him. The teen's expression darkened, but he remained composed.

"Golem, Rock Throw!"

"Pelipper, Water Gun!"

Golem pried several rocks from its own body to use as projectiles, lobbing them at Pelipper. He swooped in up close to Golem, skillfully flying underneath the rocks to deliver the attack right in Golem's face. The Pokemon was forced off its legs, remaining helpless on it is back as it tried to regain its balance.

"Golem, Explosion!" My eyes shot open.

"Pelipper, Water Gun again!"

As Golem's entire body began to glow, Pelipper blasted him with more water, slowly but steadily cooling him down. If Pelipper could keep up the spray, Golem would be knocked out before gathering enough energy to explode. For several seconds Pelipper kept the spray strong, until finally it thinned out and he had to take some deep breaths to recover. Golem was out cold.

"Yes! Good work, Pelipper!" My Pokemon touched down on the ground for a moment, resting its wings before the next battle. The teen put his Golem away, and released the next one. This one I didn't recognize, so I quickly produced my Pokedex to scan it for more information.

"Girafarig, the Long Neck Pokemon. Its tail, which also contains a small brain, may bite on its own if it notices an alluring smell."

"Girafarig, Psybeam!"

"Pelipper, defend and return!"

Girafarig's two small horns began to glow, releasing a rainbow colored wave towards Pelipper. The Pokemon used its wings as a shield, but this did little to reduce the impact of the attack. Pelipper went rolling back to my end of the field, taking a bit more damage as he rolled over the debris from the arena. I put him away, and released Haunter. Since Girafarig was part psychic, Haunter's ghost abilities would easily defeat him.

"Girafarig, Psybeam again!"

"Haunter, block it with Night Shade!"

Both Pokemon released their respective attacks, causing them to collide in the middle. Rather than the typical explosion, Haunter's Night Shade overpowered Psybeam, and struck Girafarig dead on. However, to my shock the Pokemon was completely unaffected by the attack! The teen smirked, causing me to flip open my Pokedex again. Being part normal as well made his Pokemon completely immune to Haunter's attacks.

"Girafarig, Zen Headbutt!"

"Haunter, dodge it for now!"

Concentrating the power on its horns again, Girafarig blasted Haunter with a fast moving wave of psychic energy. My ghost Pokemon tried to vanish beforehand, but was caught by the attack just before he went completely invisible. Since it was immune to ghost type attacks, I'd have to try for a one shot victory with one of Haunter's dark abilities.

"Girafarig, Psybeam!"

"Haunter, Sucker Punch!"

Haunter lifted itself back up into the air just as Girafarig charged up the Psybeam attack. Launching its fist like a rocket, Haunter delivered the attack just as Girafarig was about to shoot its beam. The punch caused his aim to be way off, blasting the ceiling and even managing to strike its own tail when its neck reached backwards.

"Haunter, again!"

While Girafarig was still trying to recover from the attack, Haunter's second fist flew right into its neck, causing it to lose balance and fall down. Haunter's part in this fight was over, so I quickly returned him to his Pokeball.

"Girafarig, get up, quickly!"

"Vulpix, finish with Flamethrower!"

My small fox ran out onto the field as fast as she could. By the time Girafarig had recovered from those quick punches, Vulpix was in the air raining down fire on him. When the attack was over, Girafarig was covered in burns and down on his knees. The battle was over. After putting Girafarig back in his Pokeball, the teen raised his hand at the camera.

"I forfeit," he said, shocking me. Right after, a bell went off, signaling the end of the match. Behind him, the door opened, and the Referee stepped into the room.

"Congratulations on your victory," he yelled out to me, then turned to the teen. "And our compliments on your loss. Your trainer card, please."

The teen gave up his card, which the Referee scanned with a small device before handing it back to him. Snapping myself out of my daze, I ran over to them, catching the teen just before he walked out of the room.

"Excuse me, but why did you quit the battle?"

"I underestimated your Pokemon," he said, "and my last one didn't stand a chance against the might of your team. So why waste time? Congrats."

"Thanks. Good battle, I guess?" The teen smiled, the first real emotion he had displayed this whole time. Once he was out of the room, the Referee asked for my own trainer card. I gave it to him, and watched as he scanned it.

"What's this for?"

"Registering your victory with the Tower database. You're free to return to your room for now. You will be informed when it is time for your next match. Good day."

I stepped back out into the hall, and into the gaze of many of the same trainers. There were some whispers and murmurs as I walked by, as if no one truly expected me to beat that teen. It wasn't until I was practically in front of the elevator door that it occurred to me to hold my head up high and smile.

After all, I had managed to win my first Frontier battle!


	71. Night on the Frontier

Night on the Frontier, Chapter 71

"Back already? How'd it go?" Flannery was still lounging about my room, though it was nice to see that she had at least fixed my bed after all the jumping we did on it.

"Great! Started off a little rocky, but I guess I just lucked out. Thanks for fixing the bed for me," I said, taking a seat on it. Vulpix jumped on it as well, stretching out for a nice nap after the battle.

"I didn't do that, it was like that when I came back here. So, when's your next battle?"

"Don't know, they said they'd let me know." Saying that made Flannery smile for some reason.

"That means we have the rest of the night to play! The arenas close at five, and since it's almost three, you have nothing else to do today! Want to go back outside?" Just as I was about to answer her, there was a knock on the door. Figuring it was probably just Winona again, I opened the door without checking. It was a young man dressed in a fancy suit.

"Can I help you?"

"Are you Star Light?" He asked, his voice deep.

"Yeah, that's me," I said, looking at his suit for some kind of name tag.

"Star, who is it?" Flannery came over to the door, and when she saw the man, she froze on the spot. "Oh my god, it's the champion!"

"Champion? You mean Steven?" I looked back at him, watching as he looked down the hallway for a moment.

"If you don't mind letting me in?"

"Of course not, sir! Star, move aside!" Flannery practically dragged me away from the door to let him in. He closed the door behind him, but didn't walk all the way into the room proper. "Please, have a seat, sir."

"Thank you." He went to sit on the couch while I leaned in close to Flannery.

"Why are you acting this way?" I whispered to her.

"Are you crazy? Do you know who that IS?" She whispered back. Not that we were doing a good job, as we were about to find out.

"She's acting that way because I am, technically, her boss. How are you, Flannery?" She nearly pushed me to the ground as she ran over to Steven's side.

"Great, sir, just perfectly perfect... great!"

"Glad to hear it. Star, I need to speak with you about something," he said, asking me to sit next to him. To me, he was just some stranger, so I wasn't worried about talking with him. For some reason, he didn't seem to exude the same aura as Lance.

"Yes?"

"Do you have the Master Ball you acquired from Team Aqua?"

"Yeah, it's right over there, in my bag," I told him, pointing to the floor.

"I'll need to ask you to hold onto it for a while longer. There's a situation brewing, and the Master Balls we took from both teams seem to be the focal points. Neither team would dare strike Ever Grande City, but the Battle Frontier is a different story."

"Um, wouldn't it be a better idea for you to take it?" Not that I had a problem holding on to such a powerful tool, but with it in my possession I had a giant bulls-eye painted on my back.

"It's too dangerous," Steven replied, "I don't know who to trust around me. For that reason I instructed one of the Elite Four to hold onto the other Master Ball. If I were to be ambushed by Team Aqua, they could take the Master Ball from me. Don't worry: I will lead them to believe I have it, spare you from any danger. Trust no one, Star. Archie has spies everywhere collecting information for him."

With that, Steven rose from his seat. Flannery was ready to see him out the door. He turned back to me, pointing at Flannery.

"Stay close to her for me," he told me. "I know she wouldn't let anything happen to you. And I know you'd return the favor."

"Sure, whatever you say, Steven."

He smiled at me, and left the room. Once he was gone, Flannery finally returned to her usual self.

"Wow, lucky you, Star! To receive a personal request for the good of all Hoenn and Pokemon from the Champion himself!"

"Yeah, lucky me," I said dejectedly.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just... I didn't want to be a part of all this. I'm just a Pokemon trainer, and here I am drowning in this crazy mess. First it was Team Rocket, now it's Team Aqua or Magma. I just want to go back to when it was all about fun, you know?"

"Well, it's not like Steven asked you to do too much, right? Just keep the Master Ball safe! So listen, want to head outside? Sun'll be setting soon, and once its gone, the real fun begins out there!" Flannery grabbed me by the hand, dragging me to the door. I pulled away, though, reaching for something in my bag. When I pulled out the Master Ball, she sighed.

"You know, you don't have to carry it around with you everywhere you go."

"I'm just afraid of leaving it here," I said, trying to find somewhere on my dress to hide it without it being painfully obvious. I glanced over in Flannery's direction, catching a smirk forming on her face.

"Do you have another empty Pokeball, by any chance?" I looked at her with a confused expression.

"Yeah, why?"

"I know just where to hide that Master Ball so no one would notice."

~o~

You know that feeling you get, as if everyone around you is staring at you? This usually happens when you've done something to yourself that gives you the impression that you're somehow sticking out like a sore thumb. Well, I was in this position, all on account of Flannery's idea. As I strolled through the twilight roads of the Frontier, every single trainer I walked by threw a glance in my direction. Maybe it was nothing, or maybe they were eyeing the craftsmanship on display.

"Just relax, Star. And don't move around too much, or they'll fall out of place," Flannery whispered in my ear. Her suggestion only made me more nervous and self-conscious.

"Why don't we just go back to the room and leave it there? You're right, no one would ever know it was there!" I made a quick motion to run back to the Tower, when Flannery jumped in my way to stop me.

"Keep moving around like that, and everyone'll notice! Relax, Star! They look perfectly natural!"

As if it wasn't painfully obvious by now, Flannery had disguised the Master Ball and a spare Pokeball as a pair of... you know, on my chest. With a little bit of padding and arranging, they could pass as the real thing, if I knew what the real thing looked like. But under my dress, it wasn't as obvious as you might guess. It was a thick outfit designed for winter, after all. And Flannery did have a point: no one would notice unless they knew me personally. Leave it to rotten chance that I run into someone I happened to know.

"Star! Star, is that you?" I looked through the crowd to see a familiar face in a suit. It was David, whom I last saw in Rustboro City. I walked through the crowd to meet him, too late to ignore his call.

"H-Hello, David. Nice to see y-you again," I said, trying my best to calm my rattling voice.

"Likewise. And who might this be?"

"I'm Flannery, from Lavaridge Town," she introduced herself, shaking David's hand.

"This is David," I explained to her as Vulpix greeted the familiar young man. "We met a long time ago on the road. He's an old friend of mine."

"Wasn't that long ago, Star. Remember we ran into each outside Rustboro City. And by the way," he said, trying to avert his gaze from my chest, "you're certainly looking... well?"

"Yeah, I'm fine- GOOD, I mean good," I said, hiding my face. It didn't take Flannery more than a few seconds to piece it all together. Instantly she stepped in to cover for me.

"Little Star's growing up so fast, isn't she? When I met her in Lavaridge, she was cute as a button! Hardly recognized her when we met up here, looking like that!" I felt my face burn up more, and I just wanted to shrink into oblivion.

"I s-see." David coughed to a side, a ruse to compose himself following that awkward exchange. "Star, I have something I'd like to discuss, if you'd come over here with me to the table."

"S-Sure," I said, eager to move this conversation to any other topic. Once we were all sitting down, David leaned in close, a sign that he didn't want what he was about to say to be heard by anyone nearby.

"Steven told me what happened near Ever Grande," he said, just loud enough to be heard by myself and Flannery.

"Really? He didn't mention telling anyone..."

"Steven likes his secrets," David quickly pitched in. "He also told me about the Master Ball. Just wanted to say, Star, you have a knack for being in the right place at the right time for these things. Nice to know the Master Ball is now in his possession."

"Well, actually-" I started, catching myself just before I said anything. "Y-Yeah, he has it, alright."

"Of course, doubt Steven would let you hold onto it. Wouldn't want to leave you in danger, like that." David checked his watch, smiling when he noted the time.

"Waiting for something?" Flannery asked, looking at him with a slight glare.

"Not at all," he said, giving us both that blank smile I knew him for. "Actually, it's already here."

Just to our right, over the railing, several Pokemon jumped out of the water, launching several trainers into the air and onto land. They were all dressed in wetsuits, marked with Team Aqua's insignia. Between the gasps of utter shock and Vulpix's barking, I didn't even notice David get up from his end of the table and throw his arm around my neck, hoisting me up off the ground. As the crowd of trainers took notice and reached for their Pokemon, David raised his free hand, catching everyone's attention.

"Let's all be calm about this," he announced, tightening his grip on my neck. "We haven't come here to ruin the evening. I only want what this little girl has taken from us."

"David, how could you! You're part of Team Aqua?"

"Oh, Star, Star," he said softly into my ear. "I've been part of Team Aqua since long before there was a Team Aqua."

"What?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "You mean...? Team Rocket?"

"Of course. How else you think Giovanni managed to silently take over Silph in Saffron that time? Why, I let him in through the front door."

"Let her go, you bastard!" Flannery reached for one of her Pokeballs, but David only needed to tighten his grip on my neck. I could feel it getting harder to breathe, but he didn't hold that strength for very long.

"One Pokemon is released," he announced to everyone in the area, "and Star might not last the night. You wouldn't want that on your conscience, would you?"

The trainers around us, Flannery included, stood down. The entire time, I was looking for Vulpix, who had somehow vanished from the table. If I could only find her, and distract David for just long enough...

"Now, Star, why don't you hand over that Master Ball?" David put his hand in front of me, waiting for the prize tucked in my dress.

"Why, David?" I asked, trying to buy Vulpix just another few seconds to get in position. "Why were you so nice all this time, even in the Petalburg Woods?"

"Oh, that. I'm a member of Team Aqua, see, and Magma is the competition. There's a reason Giovanni split us up, it was to see which team deserved the honor of becoming the next Team Rocket. And don't forget, I was undercover at the time. Didn't you listen to me?" David shook his hand, demanding the Master Ball.

"I told you, I don't have it. Steven does." Whether or not Vulpix was in place, it looked to be now or never.

"Nice try, Star." David tightened his grip on me, forcing his hand down the front of my dress to grab the Master Ball by force.

"You sick bastard! Let her go!" Someone cried out from the crowd.

David's latest action was enough to rile up the other trainers, causing them to ignore his threat and start attacking the Team Aqua members in full force. I felt David grab hold of one of the two Pokeballs, and I prayed deep down he got the wrong one. When he pulled his arm out to check, I noticed it was indeed the regular Pokeball.

At that moment, he screamed out in pain, letting me go and dropping me to the ground. I looked behind me, seeing Vulpix dig her teeth into his leg. I forced the Master Ball down my dress further, and scurried away as Vulpix held David off. As the battles around me raged on, I did my best to crawl through them, having left the rest of my Pokemon back at the hotel.

"Cursed fox!" I heard David yell out. I turned around, seeing him pull Vulpix off by force, and throw her over the railing.

"Vulpix!" I screamed out to her. She heard my plea, and in response blasted David in the face with a Flamethrower attack. As he fell back in agony and covered in flames, I ran back to the railing, where I looked over to see Vulpix trying her best to stay afloat.

"Someone, help! Please!" I cried out, watching as Vulpix slowly descended under the surface. My first instinct was to jump in after her, despite my inability to swim. As I was about to act on this impulse, I felt someone hold me back, throwing a Pokeball into water. Out came a massive blue beast, who immediately dove into the water. After a few tense seconds, it emerged with Vulpix in his arms, the small fox coughing and shivering uncontrollably.

The Pokemon climbed out of the water, and handed me my beloved fox. I pressed her close to my chest, trying my best to warm her body. By this point, officials from the Battle Tower and other buildings stormed the scene, apprehending the Team Aqua members as their Pokemon was wiped out by the dozens of trainers in the area. I looked over to David in all the confusion, watching as someone doused the flames on his ruined suit. As quickly as all this started, it had ended.

"Thank you," I said to the trainer and his Pokemon whom had saved Vulpix. "Thank you so much for saving her."

"No problem, right Feraligatr?" The large beast roared at me slightly. I gave it a small pat on the chest. Looking around at the mess caused by David, I still couldn't believe everything that had happened. Amidst the chaos, I rejoined Flannery, and together we spotted Steven as he came to personally oversee the investigation.

"I trust everything has been resolved?"

"Yes, sir. And I'm sorry, I let this all get out of hand," Flannery said, bowing her head to the man.

"No need to apologize, Flannery. If anything, I should be apologizing to Star."

"You used me as a decoy," I said, having figured it out already. Steven nodded.

"I knew Team Aqua had followed you and Roxanne here from Ever Grande City. If I had taken the Master Ball, I never would've made out David to be Aqua's spy. It was a dangerous plan, but I had no choice."

"So he was working for you?"

"Not at all. I did have my father arrange the meeting, but that was on a tip given to me by Lance, Kanto's Champion. He uncovered evidence pointing the finger at David for the Silph Takeover this past summer, but asked me to get David out of the region for a while, to prevent Team Rocket from passing the information to him. Assuming he was part of Rocket, he'd just as easily join up with either faction here in Hoenn. When father told me what happened in the Petalburg Woods, I was certain he was working for Archie and Team Aqua, and that he'd try to take the Master Ball from you."

"Steven, no offense, but you're crazy!" Flannery yelled at him. Suddenly all her kissing up didn't matter. "What if Star had been killed during this plan?"

"I apologize," he said, getting down on one knee. "As many times as it would take. I let the benefits of the plan outweigh the possibility of harm befalling you. I truly did not think David would go so far, not after the history he shared with you."

"It's okay," I said, bringing Steven back to his feet. "I'm alright, Vulpix is safe, and all the members are under arrest. Thank you, Steven, for showing me what David was truly like. I never, ever would've found out if you hadn't done all this."

"It doesn't excuse what happened here, but I'm grateful for your words."

"Just one thing..." I said, trying to piece it all together in my mind. "Where are the real leaders of Team Magma and Aqua? Maxie and Archie?"

"I'm afraid we may never find them," said Steven. "With David and the last of the Aqua grunts in custody, those two may disappear like Giovanni did. At the very least, the crisis has been averted. Without the Master Balls at their disposal, they'll be unable to capture the legendary Pokemon."

"Oh! Speaking of which..." I reached into my dress to get the Master Ball, but after a few failed attempts I had to shake my entire body so it would fall out on its own from the skirt end. I picked it up and handed it to Steven. "I hope this is the last time I'll be used by someone for anything. Good, or bad."

Steven nodded, and left the scene with the officials hauling away the Team Aqua grunts. With the commotion being dragged off, the area around the tables where this whole evening started quieted down a bit. The night air was getting colder by the minute, and with Vulpix still a bit wet, it was about time to return to my room.

"Sheesh, what a night, huh?" Remarked Flannery with a smile on her face. "And you didn't want to go out tonight!"

"I never said that! Steven walked in before I could answer."

"Nuh uh! After: you didn't want to go out!"

"Not with a pair of Pokeballs as fake boobs!" I screamed back at her.

"Whatever, Star! I still had a point." Flannery turned around, plugging her ears to delude herself into thinking she won that little argument. I was about to pull on her arm when I saw a pair of familiar faces in the distance. It was Gaby and Ty, looking for a story to sell on what had happened here.

"Oh god, not them again! Flannery, let's go!"

I dashed through the crowd, not caring whether or not Flannery ran after me. The last thing I wanted was to be pestered by Gaby for a story to share with all of Hoenn that night.


	72. Forgotten History

Forgotten History, Chapter 72

I stepped out of the shower, drying off my hair along the way. By this hour I expected Flannery to be out of my room, yet there she was still, sitting on my couch and watching the TV. Vulpix was sleeping on the bed, covered up snugly now that she was dry. Last thing I wanted was for her to get sick on me. I sat down next to Flannery, intent on telling her to find her own room for the night.

"Good evening," interrupted the broadcast on the TV, "and welcome to another edition of 'Eyes on Hoenn'. I'm here in the Battle Frontier, where just moments ago, this was the site of a fierce battle with stragglers from Team Aqua."

"Oh, look! Think we'll show up in the background?" I looked at the screen, seeing Gaby's face stare back at me.

"Doubt it, we left before she started recording. Listen, Flannery-"

"So that's why you wanted to leave in such a hurry. Lame, Star!"

"Flannery, I think it's time you went to your own room." I had to raise my voice slightly to be heard over the TV, but I finally got her attention. She was left shocked at my 'suggestion'.

"What? You mean I can't stay here tonight?" There was a couch for her to sleep on, so- NO! She had to go!

"Sorry, but uh... we could get in trouble for sharing a room! You know, instead of paying for two and all."

"The League would pay for mine, anyway. No harm, especially since they'd only have to pay for one if I stayed here." The expression on her face told me she didn't want to leave. Rather, she had no intention of leaving. I could've pressed the issue, but I think I had known Flannery long enough to not attempt it.

"Fine," I said with a sigh. "Let me call downstairs and ask for more blankets and pillows."

"You're the best, Star!" She wrapped her arms around my neck, forgetting the potentially traumatizing events from earlier that evening. After I placed the call, I sat down next to Flannery, catching the last parts of Gaby's report before the channel changed to a broadcast of a Pokemon battle. Within seconds I heard a knock at the door, which surprised me. When I answered, it turned out to be Roxanne.

"Hello, Star. I hope I'm not interrupting you."

"Nope, come in," I said, making room for her. Once she was inside, Roxanne noticed who else would be keeping us company. I swear the moment they locked eyes, I felt the room get just a little bit hotter.

"Flannery. What are you doing here at this hour?"

"Could ask you the same, Roxy," Flannery spat back. I was about to step in to try and diffuse the situation, but the gossip girl in me overruled that idea.

"No matter, I came to discuss something with Star, anyway." Being the mature one here, Roxanne turned her back to Flannery, addressing me. However, she wasn't able to say more than two words before Flannery threw a pillow across her head. The two of us looked over in Flannery's direction, where she ignored our stares and continued to watch the TV.

"Something wrong? Just watching TV here," she said, even adding in the cliched whistle to convince us. Roxanne took in a deep breath, but rather than let out some kind of insult or scream at the redhead, she turned around again to speak with me.

"Steven informed me of what happened earlier. I just wanted to check up on you and Vulpix, make sure everything was alright."

"Oh yeah, I'm fine, and Vulpix looks okay. She'd let me know if she were feeling bad."

"Thank goodness. I personally had a few words to say to Steven after he told me, and he said you had made similar remarks. I'm glad everything turned out well." Roxanne glanced back at Flannery, who was trying her best to fixate her gaze on the TV and not her 'sworn enemy'. "Would you like me to find you other accommodations for the night?"

"No thanks," I said, more for my own sake at the hands of Flannery later. "I'll be fine here."

"Very well. Flannery, please try not to bother her too much. She's had more of a trying day than you'd ever know."

"Yeah yeah, like you were there to see for yourself, ya thick-skulled-"

"Well, I'll excuse myself now," cut in Roxanne. She let herself out the door and into the hall, before turning around to whisper something at me.

"If you want another room, just call downstairs. I'll smooth it over with the staff."

"I'll be fine," I insisted. Roxanne smiled, though she still had an inclination that I was holding back my true feelings. She was right, of course. Once I was back inside the room, Flannery was staring right at me.

"What she say? 'Get that lazy girl out before she ruins your future as well'? I swear, the nerve of that smarty-pants."

"Actually, she just said if I wanted anything from downstairs, to just call." It was a half lie, but at least there was a half-truth in there.

"Oh... well, how thoughtful of her." Flannery slouched in the couch further. I went to sit down next to her, but chose not to bring it up again. Any answer I got from her would be biased, so if I really wanted to know the story between her and Roxanne, I'd have to hear it from Winona.

After the extra blankets and pillows arrived, I placed an order with the man at the door for something to eat. And later in the evening, once the food arrived and we both ate, Flannery turned in for the night. Not that I had a problem with this, as I was also dead tired. Still, it struck me as strange that she didn't say much for the rest of the night. Something was really eating at her, and I was too scared to bring it up.

The next morning, I had to finally clear this all up through Winona. I only hoped she'd be easy to find on this massive island.

~o~

To my surprise the next morning, Flannery was up and about long before I was, and preparing to leave. As I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, I asked her exactly where she was going so early in the morning.

"Don't you worry about it," she told me on the way out the door. "And you'd better get ready, your next match is at ten this morning. Just got the call for you."

Once Flannery was out the door, I looked over to the clock on the nightstand. It was barely eight, which made her unusual morning departure all the more baffling. Still, I wasn't about to start questioning it. I did want to distance myself from her for at least a little while, until I found Winona. Once I was out of bed, I heard a knock on the door. Flannery probably forgot something, I thought to myself, as I opened the door without checking who it was.

"Good morning, Star," said Winona of all people. "I hope I didn't wake you up."

"No, not at all," I said as I rubbed my right eye. "I was actually going to look for you just now."

"What a coincidence. Actually, where's Flannery? I spoke with her just a moment ago when she told me she had spent the night here in your room." So that's why she bailed out on me so early.

"Just missed her. Said she had something to do," I lied, covering for her.

"Strange that she didn't mention it on the phone. Oh well, what is it you wanted me for?" It was still a bit early to begin the interrogation, and on an empty stomach I had no guarantee anything would stick with me.

"Actually, if it's okay with you, mind if we talk over breakfast? I'm kinda hungry."

"No problem, I have some time to spare. When you place the order, get me the Breakfast Platter Combo, no eggs, of course."

I did just that, finding it a bit funny that Winona didn't eat eggs at all. After all, it's not like every egg humans ate would hatch into a new bird Pokemon, right? Anyway, once I had gotten dressed, and the food arrived, I sat down with her at the table to talk.

"You promised me," I started halfway through our meal, "to tell me what happened between you, Roxanne and Flannery."

"Oh, that's what's bothering you? No doubt you've seen them quarrel like a couple toddlers, huh?"

"Well, I think that was Flannery more than Roxanne," I said, recalling the strange pillow incident from last night. Winona giggled a bit.

"It's a long story. I'm older than both of them, you know, by a couple years. We all went to the school in Rustboro, since it is Hoenn's most revered institute. I didn't know them all that well, mostly from the Understudy Program the school tries every once in a while."

"Understudy?"

"The older students are grouped with two younger ones, to act as a sort of 'big brother or sister'. For the kids, they get to learn from a fellow classmate, and the older ones learn responsibility. Anyway, I was stuck with both of them."

~o~

"Flannery, don't do that!" I used to scream out at her, more times than I could count in a day. It was clear she came from a more rural part of Hoenn, always so full of energy and just flat out wild.

"Just don't teach her, Winny," is what little Roxanne would tell me every time. It would've been the easy way out, of course, but I had a responsibility to see Flannery understand the material I was supposed to be teaching.

"No! I'll listen, I promise!" Was Flannery's response every time Roxanne said that. I admit, it helped to calm her down, but keeping that level of calm was impossible.

Roxanne was born and raised in Rustboro, and her parents were strict. It showed in her mannerisms: little Roxy was always well dressed, groomed, and prepared for anything in class. I guess you could say Flannery was jealous, since I seemed to devote the better part of my attention at Roxanne, just because she listened better. Actually, I ended up getting in trouble a bit for doing this.

"You have to learn to explain these things to Flannery, Winona," my old instructor used to say. "Not all children can be as attentive as Roxanne, so you have to find a way to make them WANT to learn."

Now this is where I admit to having interfered more than I should have. When I finally caught on that Flannery would listen better every time I focused on Roxanne, I started doing it on purpose.

"Since Flannery doesn't want to listen, I'll just teach Roxy instead! She's such a good little girl!" I would taunt the little fiery girl. For a while, it seemed to work. Flannery was making something of an honest effort to do better. However, just to my right, Roxanne was also taking in everything. My efforts to improve Flannery's studies affected Roxanne in a different sense. She developed something of a superiority complex, you see.

"Why waste your time, Winny?" She'd tell me right in front of the struggling Flannery. "She'll never learn, she's dumber than a Psyduck!"

Fortunately, with time, Roxanne grew out of that mindset. She became the most successful student ever to graduate out of that school. Flannery, on the other hand...

"Are you sure?" I asked Flannery's teacher one day, a couple years later. Even after the Understudy Program was axed, I maintained close friendships with both of them. Where Roxanne excelled, Flannery lagged, and terribly.

"We'll have to expel her. Her grades just aren't up to even our lowest expectations."

"But she tries so hard! It's not like she's not trying! Please, you have to give her another chance!" I pled with the teacher.

"I'm sorry, Winona. You have no say here, and allowing this meeting was more a favor than anything. Flannery will be kicked out at the end of the week."

I didn't let this happen, of course. It wasn't intentional, but I didn't let it happen. After hearing that, I started pulling double duty by tutoring her for hours every night that last week. But by thursday...

"What do you mean you got in trouble with the teacher? What happened, Flannery?"

"I'm sorry, it wasn't my fault! It was all that stupid Roxy," she told me, holding back tears. Flannery was caught cheating off Roxanne's paper in class. I'd later find out from Roxanne herself, in a heartfelt confession, that she told on Flannery on purpose, rather than let it slide. It wasn't the first time this thing happened between the two, naturally.

"Don't worry, I'm not mad at you. Let's just concentrate for tonight, so you can do better on tomorrow's test!"

"What's the point?" She yelled at me, tears in her eyes. "I'll never be as smart as Roxy. I should just quit school now. I'm old enough to become a Pokemon trainer, maybe I should just do that!"

That's what ended up happening. In an effort to convince Flannery to focus just one more night for the test, I let it slip that if she failed again, she'd be kicked out of the school. That's what threw her over the edge. The next day, she didn't show up for school. When I paid a visit to the attendance office, I learned that she had been withdrawn from school entirely. The reason was not listed, but it was authorized by her father.

I knew she lived in Lavaridge Town, and that would most likely be the best place to track her down. However, my own studies got in the way, and after it all I got swept up in my own life and adventures. Before long, I was a gym leader, and it wouldn't be until a year later that I saw her again.

~o~

"You met her when she was made the leader of Lavaridge," I chipped in. Winona nodded.

"I congratulated her, of course. She made her own way after the events at the school, and became a gym leader. Sure, it was an inherited position, but it was still rightfully earned. But when she learned that Roxanne had also been made a leader before her..."

"Yeah, I can imagine."

"Roxanne seems to have grown out of that little rivalry, but not Flannery. I haven't been as sisterly to her as I used to be, but I don't want to risk jeopardizing our friendship, either. She can have a bit of a short fuse, and if I tried to be helpful, chances are she'd blow up in my face. 'I'm not a kid, anymore' or something." Winona sighed. I never would've imagined this kind of history interwoven amongst them.

"Maybe I could talk to her?"

"No!" Winona snapped at me. "If you start talking to her about all these things, she'll know I told you everything. I'm sorry, Star, but there are some things even you can't help out with."

"Sorry," I said softly.

"I'm sorry for raising my voice. Just, don't bring this up with her, okay? Let her sort it out on her own, it's all we can hope for. Now, I have to get going. Good luck on your match today."

I walked Winona out of the room, then looked at the clock. It was still a bit early for my match, but I figured getting there a bit early wouldn't hurt. Maybe this time I could get to know my opponent a bit better. After collecting Vulpix, I left my room.

~o~

My match today was on the 42nd floor, which had the same hallway as yesterday's fight. I was to fight in room two, and like I had hoped, my challenger was there. This time it was a boy, probably around 12 or maybe 13. He wore glasses like me, even dressed in a similar yellow motif. If I didn't know any better, I'd guess he was my male clone.

"Hello, I'm Star," I said with a big smile on my face and an outstretched hand.

"Michael," he replied, shaking my hand. "You fighting here?"

"Yeah, I'm your opponent! Don't hold back just cause I'm cute, okay?" I have him a wink, which caused him to flush a little before looking away.

"N-Not at all," he stuttered. I giggled at his response. Even in that sense he was like me. Had he been the one to hit on me, I probably would've turned red as a tomato. With the ice broken, what had to be done now was get him to talk.

"So, where you from?" Best place to open with.

"I'm from Twinleaf Town, in Sinnoh."

"Oh, that's nice! I've never been there, but maybe in the future I'll visit. I'm from Pallet Town, in Kanto."

"I've been there before, to speak with Professor Oak."

"Oh? So you know the professor? He's a friend of my mom's, and mine too. You visit Kanto for your Pokemon journey?"

"Yeah, I actually started there. I was on vacation with my folks, when something happened in Saffron City. I think the city was taken over by someone, Team Rocket I think they were called. We were stuck there for a week." Of all the coincidences in life.

"I remember that! I was in Saffron, too, at the time. Crazy and small world, huh?"

"I'll say. Well, right after that, I started my journey. I got my starter Pokemon in town, and went off from there. I wasn't interested in collecting badges at first, so I never finished the Kanto League. I started collecting here in Hoenn, after taking a ship to Olivine City, and finally Slateport." It couldn't be... could it?

"You mean that time the ship stopped at Dewford Island?" His eyes opened up.

"Don't tell me you were on that same voyage?"

"I won't say it," I replied with a smile.

"Tiny world, huh?"

"I'll say." We laughed together, amazed at how closely our histories matched up. If we started comparing journeys, no doubt we'd find even more in common. Just as I was about to ask what his favorite Pokemon was, the man guarding the door opened it up.

"It's time for your match. Have each of you selected your three Pokemon?" I nodded, as did Michael.

"Then step inside and proceed. Good luck to you both."

We went inside, almost fighting for the spot closest to the door. I took it, making Michael run over to the other side of the room. Because Vulpix was already out, I decided not risk trouble by sending her out to the field. Michael selected his first Pokemon, a familiar face in Dragonair. The bell went off above us, signaling the start of the battle.

"Dragonair, use Hyper Beam!" No way, a move that powerful this early?

"Vulpix, get out of the way and use Quick Attack!"

Dragonair flew into the air towards Vulpix, charging up the attack along the way. Vulpix stood her ground, waiting for Dragonair to unleash the attack before vanishing with her Quick Attack. Once Dragonair was almost directly overhead, he let out the beam attack, which Vulpix managed to avoid deftly. She reappeared directly above Dragonair, clucthing onto the Pokemon's back just behind the head.

"Vulpix, use Will-O-Wisp!"

I saw as her eyes flashed for a moment, then unleashed the full might of her attack on Dragonair. The Pokemon cried out in pain, a harsh burn now covering most of its back. It thrust about in the air, knocking Vulpix off.

"Dragonair, use Thunder Wave!"

"Vulpix, Quick Attack again!"

Despite the burns, Dragonair rained down the electric wave on Vulpix, paralyzing her just before she was able to leap back into the air to attack. Despite this, she hurled herself into the air, clawing at the burns on Dragonair before touching down again. It was clear she'd have trouble fighting from now on, so I quickly called her back.

"I officially withdraw my Dragonair," Michael said, retuning the Pokemon to its ball. "I won't be using her again."

"Then I can say the same for Vulpix." Right after saying that, I was regretting it. I didn't know if his next Pokemon would hold a significant advantage, and even paralyzed Vulpix was still healthy enough to keep battling. Still, it was too late now, and he was already selecting his next Pokemon. It was a blue critter with three big white balls surrounding its body. I quickly scanned it before deciding what to use.

"Jumpluff, the Cottonweed Pokemon. Even in the fiercest wind, it can control its fluff to make its way to any place in the world it wants."

Being a grass type and flying type, the best choice was either fire or ice. With Vulpix sitting this one out, I chose Vaporeon to tackle this challenge. Michael had an advantage over me, just like I had one over him. It would be a matter of who knocked out whom first.

"Jumpluff, Giga Drain!"

"Vaporeon, Aurora Beam!"

Jumpluff dove in on Vaporeon, those white cotton balls aimed directly at Vaporeon. He waited until Jumpluff was practically in front of him before unleashing his own attack. It was a direct and critical blow, landing Jumpluff right in front of Michael totally knocked out. He put his Pokemon away, giving me a small congratulatory clap.

"That battle was pretty much one hit KO material."

"Yeah, I guess. What else you got for me?" Giving me a smirk, Michael released his last Pokemon, a familiar face in Farfetch'd. Once I laid eyes on this Pokemon, it was as if something clicked in my mind. I looked over at the Pokemon as if I knew him. But it couldn't be...

"Farfetch'd?" I said, which confused the bird. Vulpix seemed to notice it too, and started barking at him. Michael was confused, but didn't raise an objection when Vulpix ran over to talk to the bird personally. They exchanged a few barks and quacks, and I began to think this was all a case of mistaken identity. Then it happened. Farfetch'd ran over to my side, opening his wing for me. Tucked away under it was a small piece of torn yellow fabric.

"Time-out!" Michael called in front of the camera, running over to me. I took the piece of fabric from Farfetch'd looking it over closely. Aside from smelling like him, there was something strangely familiar about it. I looked at Farfetch'd, and a slight tug at my dress reminded me.

"It can't be..." I said, reaching out to pet the small duck. "You were warped away as soon as I caught you. How did you get this?"

The small bird nodded, pointing its leek at my bag. It all started to make sense now!

"I put away the torn dress in my bag, but I didn't throw it away until after I got home... you took a piece one day, didn't you?" Again, the bird nodded, and this time pointed to Vulpix and Vaporeon. The two Pokemon in question confirmed it: this was my Farfetch'd, the one stolen from me by Team Rocket outside Azalea Town.

"Then, that means... of course! Dragonair and Jumpluff, they're evolved forms of Dratini and Hoppip!"

"What are you talking about?" Michael still wasn't following.

"You didn't catch these Pokemon, did you?" I said, desperate to hear him say no.

"N-No, I didn't. They were given to me by someone while I was in Kanto, something about them being stolen Pokemon without a trainer. It was during a raid on a Team Rocket warehouse. Because they wiped out the Pokeball ID numbers, there was no way to ever figure out who they belonged to. These three were grouped together, so I took them all. I knew they'd always looked for their old trainer, but the odds of ever running into him... or her..." Michael had finally pieced it all together.

"Farfetch'd, you do remember me?" The duck nodded, pointing at the scrap of fabric.

"Wow, to think something like this would happen," Michael said, scratching the back of his neck. "It's like fate or something."

"Farfetch'd, do the others remember me?" The duck sort of frowned, lowering his head. I guess after evolving, and bonding with Michael so much, they had to have forgotten. It showed that he was a good trainer, but Farfetch'd held on to my memory, even after all this. It wasn't right for me to separate the other two, or even Farfetch'd, from Michael.

"I'm sorry, boy, but you'll have to stay with Michael from now on."

"Star, if these really are your Pokemon-"

"No, I can't. Yes, they were stolen from me by Team Rocket, and yes, I'd love nothing more than to have them back at my side," I practically screamed, trying my best not to tear up at this moment, "but it wouldn't be fair to you. You've raised them all this time, it would be wrong of me to take them."

"If... if you say so." Michael had no idea how to respond to all this. I was certain he didn't want to lose these three, but no doubt there was some measure of guilt attached in raising three Pokemon stolen from me. It was touchy ground for us both.

"I'm sorry, I just never thought I'd ever run into them again. It's a miracle, if there ever was one. Let's finish this battle, and we can talk further later."

I backed into my position, while Vaporeon returned to the field and Michael to his side. It was stranger than ever now to be battling, but this couldn't be left alone. We had to finish what we started.

"Farfetch'd, use Fury Attack!"

Farfetch'd looked back at its trainer, then to me. Despite my nods, he refused to move. Vaporeon looked back at me before sitting down, also demonstrating his unwillingness to combat an old friend.

"Farfetch'd, you don't plan on battling, do you?" Michael asked the small bird. He clearly shook his head before returning to his side. Michael sighed, then let out a small chuckle.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"To think, I lost because I chose Farfetch'd instead of my other Pokemon outside. Then again, I guess it's not so bad after all."

~o~

Because Michael had lost Jumpluff to Vaporeon, the match was ended with myself as the victor, due to the circumstances. Michael went ahead and explained everything, allowing me to fill in the blanks. We had to explain this all to the judges of the Battle Frontier, and they made the exception, despite their suggestion to Michael to host a rematch with new Pokemon.

"These are my Pokemon," he told them proudly. "I wouldn't battle well without them."

Afterwards, I joined him for lunch, where we discussed practically everything he ever did with those Pokemon. It made me happy to know they weren't locked away in that warehouse for long, and that Michael was such a kind, if pushy trainer. I met with each of my former critters individually, and even though neither Jumpluff or Dragonair remembered me, it did me some good to be able to wish them off. Farfetch'd was a bit more stubborn. He wanted to come back with me, but I remained firm on my decision.

"Sorry, but you'll have to stay with Michael. He needs you more than I do."

"Star, if it means that much to him, he can go with you. It'll be alright," Michael said. I just shook my head.

"No, it would be wrong. Farfetch'd, it's your job to look after Dragonair and Jumpluff for me. I'll be fine, I still have Vulpix with me. Do me this favor, okay?"

The small bird was clearly reluctant to go, but a small kiss from me was the last push he needed. He took his spot next to Michael, and rather than look sad, he puffed out his chest proudly. Holding his leek up high, the duck quacked loudly to announce his newfound resolve. Just as Michael was about to put him away, something occurred to me.

"Wait! I have something to give him." I took a fork from the table, and with it, tore off a piece of my dress. I handed the piece to Farfetch'd, placing it under his wing.

"So you never forget me." The duck nodded, and was placed back in his Pokeball. After we both finished lunch, we went our separate ways, with Michael looking to explore new regions in the Pokemon World. I waved farewell to him from my seat, tears in my eyes as I saw him vanish in the distance and into the crowd.

That was the last time I ever saw my old Pokemon.


	73. Rousing the Sea

Rousing the Sea, Chapter 73

The rhythmic tapping of the raindrops on my room window was the only sound that afternoon. It was strange how quickly the clouds gathered around the Battle Frontier that day, as if summoned by someone or something. My first inclination was another ploy by Team Magma or Aqua, considering their experiments at Meteor Falls. And with the cold November air, the rain was potentially life-threatening. Events went on as scheduled on the island, but I did hear there were a number of cancellations.

"Maybe I'm just over-thinking again," I said to myself, shattering the silence in my room. Vulpix was watching the Pokemon battles on TV, despite the set being mute. And I hadn't heard anything from Flannery since her sudden departure that morning. I was back to traveling on my own again. And I honestly wasn't liking it as much.

I flipped through the small list of phone numbers on my Pokenav, but that killed only a handful of seconds. I could call Mom, see how she's doing, but the reception was a bit bad because of the storm. Getting calls from within Hoenn seemed to be rife with trouble, if the people down in the lobby were to be believed. All in all, it was turning out to be a dull and dreary afternoon. I longed for the days I could travel on the road again. But where could I go?

Then, as if to answer my question, I felt the Pokenav rumble in my hands. The screen flashed a number, along with the name 'BIRCH'. It took me a moment to remember just who that was, but I managed to answer the phone just in time.

"Hello?"

"Ah, finally! Star, correct?" The voice was a bit muffled, but still audible.

"Yeah, it's me."

"This is Professor Birch speaking," he continued, fighting through the growing static. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes, but you're cutting off, Professor. Should I try calling you back?"

"Yes, try and use a land-" he was cut off by some static, and the call dropped. I looked over to the window, noticing the rain start to strengthen. The storm was getting worse. I ran over to the phone by the door, and dialed in the professor's number. It took some time, but eventually I got a ring on his end.

"Hello?" He answered, now a much clearer signal.

"Yes, Professor? It's Star."

"Ah, much better! Where are you calling from?"

"The Battle Frontier," I replied. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, not at all. Congratulations on making it that far, by the way! I was just calling to inform you of that trip to Pallet Town for the conference."

"Oh, that! I had almost forgotten about it! When is it?"

"Actually, that's the thing. The conference has been rescheduled for late next week in Sandgem Town. I'll still be taking a ship over to Kanto to pick up Professors Oak and Elm, but we'll have to leave as soon as possible to make it."

"Sandgem Town? Where's that?"

"The Sinnoh region, further north. The League will be paying for your passage up there from Vermillion City, but I'm afraid you'll have to find your own means of getting to Vermillion." I'd be going home! Well, not home home, but still close enough!

"Sure, no problem! Are there any ships that go to Vermillion City from the Battle Frontier?"

"Afraid not, Star. However, the SS Aqua will be making a stop at Sootopolis City before returning to Johto. If you can make it there by the day after tomorrow, you can jump onboard and we'll sail to Olivine City together." Two days? Boy, that was cutting it extremely close.

"O-Of course! I'll be waiting there, don't you worry!" Of course, it was I who was worrying.

"Great! Now I have to be going. Slateport City is quite a ways from Littleroot, you know. I'll see you in a couple days, Star."

"Right, Professor. Travel safe!"

"Same to you." The screen went black, and I hung up the receiver. Vulpix was standing next to me, wondering what all that fuss was about. I picked her up and leaned in close.

"We're going back to Kanto, Vulpix! It's not for long, but we'll get to see Mom again!" Understanding what that meant, she licked my face. I put her back down on the floor, intent on calling Mom to let her know. At that instant, a crash of thunder pierced the silence outside. The storm was getting worse and worse.

"This doesn't look good, Vulpix," I said, staring out the window. The ocean was thrashing about wildly in the storm, making it a scary prospect to try crossing it. "If this storm doesn't pass soon, I might not be able to make it on time."

~o~

I ran downstairs to the lobby, after a few failed attempts to contact Mom. The storm had gotten so bad, that not even calling from the room phone could get a signal out. Regardless, I wanted to find out about canceling my upcoming matches so I could check out. The lobby was packed with trainers, many of which were just trying to wait out the storm. It was chaos, to be sure, so it was a good thing I told Vulpix to stay in the room. After worming my way through several dozen trainers, I reached one of the front desks.

"Excuse me, I'd like to cancel my next match," I said to the woman.

"No need for that, all matches have been canceled until further notice. If there's nothing else, please return to your room or seat here in the lobby until further notice." It was an automated response, given without actually making eye contact. Whatever was going on out in that storm had even the staff here on edge.

"Actually, I want to know why the storm is so bad out there." The woman glanced in my direction, but immediately returned to her job on the computer monitor.

"It's just a storm, there's nothing to worry about."

"In the middle of November? Isn't that strange?"

"It's nothing to worry about, miss. Please, return to your room or seat for your own safety. Everyone's in a bit of a mess and panic, and we don't want any unnecessary complications." She was getting a bit agitated by me, so I dropped the subject. I wiggled through back to the elevator, hopping into it along with a dozen other trainers.

We stopped on a few floors before my own, and each time the doors open I saw the hallways cluttered with people. The lobby downstairs had gotten so full, people were hiding out in the hallways of the upper floors to avoid the crowd. There were a number of people already setting up camp, so to speak, on my floor when I arrived there. I tried not to make eye contact with anyone along the way, not wanting to share my room with strangers. Once I was back in it, I was greeted by none other than Flannery.

"Welcome back, Star! Downstairs looking for something?"

"'Welcome back'? Where were YOU this whole time? You just left this morning without a word!" The redheaded girl shrugged in response.

"I had things to take care of. One of them was getting my own room, but that ship sailed on me. The entire tower is packed, and all of the rooms were taken by the time I was able to reach the desk. Storm's crazy out there, huh?"

"Yeah, but how did you get into my room?"

"Spare key," she said, showing me the card. "Remember they gave us two when you checked in here."

"Right... never mind. They've canceled all the battles, and the hotel is in a mess right now."

"I know," Flannery said, leaning back on the couch. "I can imagine the chaos downstairs. No one is willing to give a straight answer, and there's a rumor going around that the storm will wash away the entire frontier."

"Stupid storm, why now? I hope it settles down by tomorrow."

"Going somewhere?" I looked over at Flannery. Guess she wouldn't expect me to just take off on such short notice.

"I am. I need to get back to Sootopolis City to catch a ship." Flannery's eyes opened up at the mention of that.

"What? You're serious?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "I got a call earlier from Professor Birch. When I was in Littleroot Town, he told me about a conference that was being held over in Kanto. I told him to let me know more when the time came, so I could go with him. The SS Aqua docks at Sootopolis in two days."

"Sorry to say this, Star: you ain't gonna make it. Do you see those waves out there? No ship, no Pokemon would survive out there! I wouldn't be surprised if the SS Aqua canceled their stop at Sootopolis altogether, if the storm keeps up."

Flannery had a point; the captain wouldn't risk the ship. The problem was this stupid storm, and there wasn't much I could do about it, either. Although there was still one question on my mind: where did it come from? Storms like this didn't just come out of thin air, right? I couldn't shake the feeling that Team Aqua was somehow behind it all. Then it hit me.

"It's a Pokemon," I said to myself in realization.

"What are you talking about?"

"This storm! It's a Pokemon! What's the name of that legendary Pokemon in the sea around here?"

"You mean Kyogre?" Flannery was trying to keep up with my train of thought.

"Yes! That one! It's out there somewhere, and Team Aqua is chasing it."

"You're crazy, Star! How do you figure?"

"Don't you remember? When we were on Mt Chimney, and Groudon woke up: the earth started to shake!" Flannery nodded, recalling the event perfectly.

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with this?"

"Groudon is the ground Pokemon, so when he woke up, the entire mountain started to shake. If Team Aqua's leader has found Kyogre, even without the Master Ball to catch it, it would cause a storm at sea, right?"

"I... guess?" Flannery shrugged.

"I have to talk to Steven," I said, running to the phone. "Where do you think I can reach him?"

"Actually, he should still be here in the tower. Remember they caught those Aqua grunts, but it was too late to ship them out to Ever Grande City. And with the storm, I don't think any ship's taken off yet."

"We have to find out where he is and tell him! You head downstairs to the lobby and ask, I'll start by checking the rooms where they hold the Pokemon battles!"

I didn't even give Flannery a chance to protest or agree to the plan. With Vulpix running after me, I ran out the door and to the elevator at the end of the hall. If it was indeed the work of Kyogre, calming the massive beast or allowing it to escape back into the ocean would clear the storm. And that was my goal.

~o~

After a few unsuccessful attempts on several floors above the 40th, the elevator was forced back down to the lobby. As I huddled in a corner with Vulpix, I could feel the elevator shake with every crash of thunder outside. Time was growing short.

On the ground floor, Flannery squeezed into the elevator, now packed with other trainers looking to escape to the higher floors. She huddled close to me in the corner, and whispered into my ear.

"Steven's on floor 37," she said. I slapped myself on the forehead.

"That's where I had my first battle. How could I have forgotten already?"

"Well, let me do the talking once we get there. I heard from the receptionist that security's tight."

I had someone press the button for the 37th floor, and stood silently in the corner. With every crash of thunder, the rest of the trainers let out a collective gasp. Maybe it was just me, but I felt the thunderclaps were getting closer and closer together. Just what was going on out there? Once we got off on our floor, we were immediately told to go right back onto the elevator by a pair of policemen. Flannery stepped forward to do the talking.

"My name is Flannery, and I just happen to be the gym leader of Lavaridge Town. My good friend and I need to speak with Steven. It's urgent," she said in a rather uppity tone. I think she was going for the Roxanne approach, and she was pulling it off really well.

"I'm sorry, miss, but Steven specifically told us not to let anyone through. No exceptions." The policeman pointed back at the elevator, which by this point had closed and returned to a lower floor.

"Well, darn. Looks like we'll have to wait until it comes back up here. In the meantime, if you'd just let us speak with Steven..." I glanced down behind Flannery, where her hand was making a gesture for me to slip past the two. They were blocking the hall quite well, so I'd have to wait until she caused a bit more of a ruckus.

"You will wait here, by the elevator, miss, or I will place you under arrest myself!" The policeman brandished his handcuffs, and took a step forward.

"I tried to be nice about this," she spat back. "Now I came here to speak to Steven, and I'm going to speak with him!"

Flannery took one step forward, provoking the officers to retaliate and slam her against the wall. Using the opportunity, I slipped past them, running down the hall. I dropped Vulpix halfway down it, realizing one of the officers was chasing me.

"Vulpix, hold him off!" I screamed back at her. Glancing back, I saw her barking at the officer, buying me just enough time to start opening doors. Steven ended up being in the last door down the hall, as was typical. I ran inside and slammed the door shut behind me, catching the attention of everyone inside.

"Star? What are you doing here?" Aside from him, the rest of the Team Aqua grunts were tied up in chairs, held down by several other officers. Behind me, the door swung open, revealing the officer who had chased me with Vulpix muzzled in his arms.

"Let her go!" I said, reaching for my Pokemon.

"Officer, stand down. I will hear her out," Steven said, causing the man to return Vulpix to me.

"What of the accomplice outside?" He asked.

"Oh! It's Flannery!" I explained.

"Let her go as well," Steven ordered. The officer nodded, and left the room to see her freed. "Star, there better be a good explanation for all this."

I got right to explaining everything to Steven. My suspicions of Kyogre's involvement, and the fact that Archie and maybe even Maxie were collaborating on this venture. To back myself up I gave him the short version of what happened on Mt Chimney, which seemed to be enough for Steven to take my theory seriously. With Flannery helping me out in the explanations, it wasn't long before Steven was cooking up ways to test this theory out.

"I must admit, Star," he said between claps of thunder, "your deductions seem spot on. It would explain the weather, and the mysterious absence of Archie; not to mention where Maxie has been hiding all this time."

"So what should we do about it, Steven?" Flannery chipped in.

"We'll have boats patrol the waters around the island, and have anyone with water Pokemon volunteer to help locate Kyogre in the sea."

"Are you sure anyone will help? It's pretty dangerous out there, sir," I added. We all looked to the window, which was completely drenched in running water.

"Promise the trainers the possibility to capture a rare and legendary Pokemon for themselves, and they'll flock to the scene. Come, we must leave at once! Officer, I leave you in charge."

~o~

It was just as Steven said. Once we were downstairs, Steven had the hotel announce his message through the PA system. He started with the dangers of the volunteer Pokemon, considering the harsh conditions out there. When too many trainers in the lobby started questioning this, he announced the potential reward of capturing Kyogre. Instantly, every single trainer rose to the occasion. And despite the terrible storm raging just outside, they all ran into it, ready to release Pokemon into the sea for the search.

Others released bird Pokemon, which did their best in a massive joint effort to steer the rainclouds away from the island. Once the majority of the rain had thinned out, fire Pokemon were released to create massive torches in the air. This allowed the nearby temperature to rise, making it safer for the trainers to remain exposed to the elements as they were. Lacking a strong water type of my own, I had to wait inside the lobby for word of Kyogre's sighting. I was in good company, though.

"Be nice if all trainers could get along like this all the time, right Star?" Flannery was in the same boat as me, obviously.

"Yeah, but the only real reason they're doing this is because all of them want to capture Kyogre for themselves."

"What does it matter? At least they're working together! Not often you see something like this, let me tell ya. I don't think I ever worked with someone until you and I started partnering up."

"Flannery, why do you hate Roxanne the way you do?" My question came out of no where, so it wasn't a surprise to see her shocked by it.

"Wh-What the? Where did that come from?"

"I was just remembering that time in the room the other night. Why don't you two get along?" I already knew the reasons, I just wanted to hear it from her myself.

"It's complicated, Star. You wouldn't understand," she said, turning away from me.

"Was it because she was smarter than you?"

"Who told you that? Roxanne talking about me behind my back again, isn't she?" I shook my head.

"It wasn't her," I said, betraying Winona's trust. Flannery instantly put it all together.

"Winona! This morning...! Why I oughta..."

"I'm sorry," I said right away. "About poking my nose into it all. I was just curious, since you seemed to be so touchy about Roxanne. She told me everything, you know."

"E-Every...thing?" A shadow of gloom fell over Flannery's face. I nodded.

"How you quit school because of what happened, and when you became a gym leader, but Roxanne was already one."

"Please," she said, looking away from me. "Please. Just..."

She couldn't come up with anything to say. I heard her start choking up, as if her deepest, darkest secret had been found out and laid bare for all the world to see. At that moment, I shared her pain, knowing it was I who caused it. Just as I was about to apologize and drop the whole thing, I heard Steven call out to us from outside.

"Star! Kyogre's been spotted! There's a boat waiting for us; Archie and Maxie have also been spotted on the sea!"

I wanted to run out there, to be part of this event. But after what I had just started with Flannery, how could I just leave it at that? I looked back her, who had regained her composure. She looked at me, the signs of tears held back evident on her face. She smiled at me, the same smile I had grown familiar with.

"What's wrong, Star? Look like you've seen a ghost or something. Come on, Steven's waiting for us!"

Was Flannery able to just ignore everything I had said so easily? Or had she come to terms with her own past in so short a time? Maybe all she did was lock it away again, deep within her heart. I smiled back at her, finally realizing something. Something Winona herself had told me, right after sharing their past.

"You're right. Let's go!"

It wasn't my burden to bear.

~o~

The ship rocked to and fro in the sea, but the captain was able to navigate the waves efficiently. Though it felt like the ship could be washed away with every second, he somehow kept it steady enough for people to stay up on deck. Just up ahead, there was something massive thrashing about in the ocean. It wasn't as large as the Wailord I'd seen before, but it could just as easily sink the ship. Not too far off there was another small vessel, and only two men visible on board.

"Unidentified vessel, return to port at once! I repeat, return to port at once!" The captain's voice echoed in the dark through the megaphone, but there was no way of knowing if the other ship heard us. Or even cared. From my spot on deck, I could see something small being thrown into the water after the Pokemon; they were Pokeballs!

Splashing around in the water near Kyogre were a couple other Pokemon. It was hard to make out what they were, but it was clear to see they were trying to weaken the large beast to make it easier to capture. I felt someone come up beside me.

"We can't get any closer!" Flannery screamed at me, trying to make herself heard over the crashing of the waves.

"We need to take out their ship!" I screamed back, before turning towards the captain's cabin. "We need to hit the ship!"

I wasn't sure if I was heard, though I probably wasn't. There was still some rain falling down on us, but thanks to the continued effort of the bird Pokemon in the sky, the storm was dissipating little by little. And despite all out efforts to help out Kyogre, it would turn out it didn't need our help after all. I was there when I saw it outright attack the ship belonging to Archie and Maxie. It struck once with its massive tail, and collapsed the ship in one fell blow.

As the ship sank into the sea, Kyogre vanished under the waves with it. Minutes later, the ocean began to calm down again. Pokemon and divers were sent in after the ship's remains, but it sank too fast for them to recover anything. Details weren't released to the public, but Steven did confide in me that no bodies were found. If it was Archie and Maxie on board, they managed to escape somehow.

Back on the island, things started to calm down again now that the storm had passed. Were it not for the fact that it was super late, there probably would've been some massive party held in celebration. I returned to my room with Flannery, tired and sopping wet, eager to take a hot bath and jump right into bed. The aftermath of this whole ordeal could be sorted out in the morning, after all.


	74. Farewell to Hoenn

Farewell to Hoenn, Chapter 74

A surprisingly warm sun greeted the island the next morning. The terrible storm that plagued it the previous night was nothing more than a memory now, and there was not a cloud in the sky above. I was far more relieved to learn that my crazy escapades in the cold air and rainstorm didn't leave me with another cold. Flannery, on the other hand...

"Achoo!" She sneezed for the fifth time since I woke up. Her face was flushed and her eyes drooping.

"I just ordered some ice and soup for you," I said, taking her another towel to dry off her forehead.

"Why did I have to get sick?" She mumbled to herself. She looked into my eyes pleadingly. "Why couldn't it have been you?"

"My mom always said that's a terrible thing to wish for. 'Never wish your misfortunes on others', or something like that."

"Not that I want you to get sick," she said between some coughing and another sneeze. "But at least you wouldn't have to go."

"Oh, I see..." I looked over to the window, seeing the clear blue skies above. All the fuss from yesterday was to have this happen, so that I could sail safely over to Sootopolis. Now, I felt somewhat guilty of leaving Flannery here alone and sick.

"Sorry, don't worry about me," she said as she adjusted herself on the couch. "I know you want to head back home. Can't blame you."

Our small chat was interrupted by the phone ringing, so I ran over to it to answer. When the call was established, I saw Steven on the monitor.

"Steven! Is there anything wrong?"

"Not at all, Star. I just wanted to thank you again for everything you did yesterday."

"I didn't do much, sir. Actually, out at sea, all I did was sit still while the captain steered the ship." He shook his head.

"Were it not for you, there's no telling what would've happened with the other ship that was destroyed. I've spoken with some experts, and they believe it was thanks to our ship appearing in Kyogre's sights that the Pokemon retaliated so viciously. Even if they're wrong, and our presence there had no impact whatsoever, I'd still like to congratulate you on solving this little mystery." I could feel my face start to warm up at all this praise.

"Oh, well, you know," I said, looking away from the monitor. Steven chuckled slightly.

"Anyway, I wish you safe travels from now on."

"Wait! Actually, I need a way across the ocean back to Sootopolis today! Is there anyway you can help me with this?" Who better to ask than the champion himself?

"Why not just take your Milotic?"

"What? I don't have a Milotic..." I said. It took me a second, but I suddenly remembered the scale dangling around my neck. "You mean this?"

"It's a prism scale belonging to a Milotic, isn't it? Even if it's not yours, you can give it a Feebas and cause it to evolve, you know. Otherwise, I could see about arranging some form of transport..."

"No, that's okay! I think I got it under control," I told him, clutching the scale in my hand.

"Very well. Farewell, Star. Until we meet again." The screen went dark, and this time there was a knock on the door. It was a waiter with Flannery's soup and ice, as well as my breakfast. Taking the tray from him, I placed it on the table.

"Sorry about that, but your soup's here," I said, preparing to help her up. When I stood over her, I noticed her eyes were closed, causing me to panic for a second. Could she have...?

"Flannery?" I said to her, my heart racing. Then I heard her cough, before taking a deep breath. I sighed, realizing she had just fallen asleep. I took a seat at the table, preparing to enjoy my own breakfast. What Steven said had certainly lifted my spirits that morning.

~o~

After breakfast, I went downstairs to the lobby to wrap up what needed to be taken care of. My first stop was the computer, so that I could swap out Pelipper for Feebas. If what Steven said was true, I could use that scale from Wallace's Milotic to evolve Feebas into one himself. Once that was complete, I got in line for the front desk. My last task was to cancel any battles I had so that I could leave immediately for Sootopolis. After waiting in line for a few minutes, I finally went up to speak with the receptionist.

"Hi, I'd like to cancel any battles I have and check out, please."

"Very well. Your ID card, please?" I handed the woman my Hoenn card, and then watched intently as she punched in a few hundred keystrokes on the computer. I couldn't help but feel there was going to be hitch in my plan.

"It says here that you have a match set for later today, at 12:30 on the 44th floor," she told me.

"Well, I'd like to cancel that," I said. "I really have to be leaving today, so I can't make that fight."

"Very well." She went to work again the computer, typing who knows what. I mean seriously, just what did she have to type in? Couldn't a simple keystroke indicate that the fight was canceled? This went on for the better part of a minute, so I finally had to inquire.

"Is there a problem?"

"Not at all, just determining what- if any- fees are applicable to your stay with us." Just what I figured would happen. I was running extremely low on money as it was, and anything I had would have to pay for my ticket back to Vermillion City. I went digging through my bag, hoping there was some way I could soften the blow.

"Will this help?" I told her, handing her my nurse's ID card.

"Oh, you're a trainee nurse with the League? This will make things a lot easier!" She smiled, and started punching a completely new set of keys. After a few moments of hearing that, she handed both cards to me, along with a printout.

"This is your receipt, detailing your stay with us. Because of your employment with the League, the charges for cancellation have been dropped. We hope you visit us again in the future!"

"Wow, thanks!" I said with a beaming smile on my face. To think it was that easy with my nurse ID! With this business resolved, the only thing left to do was say my farewells to Flannery and the other gym leaders. Provided I could find them somewhere in the hotel.

Back in my room, I walked in to see Flannery eating her soup alone at the table. She was still wrapped up in the blankets, making it extremely hard for her to enjoy her meal.

"Hey, if you want I can raise the heat up in here," I told her as I sat down at the table. She just shook her head and continued to eat.

"You look like you're ready to go," she said sorrowfully.

"I just came back from the lobby. I canceled my next battle, gave up the reservation-" I clasped my hands to my mouth. If I did that, where would Flannery be forced to go?

"Don't worry about it," she said, catching on. "I'll just phone in and tell them that I'll be taking the room right after you sign out officially. No big deal."

"You sure you'll be okay here alone?" Her response was another bout of coughing, complete with the required sneeze. Perhaps it was just me, but she wasn't looking any better after eating that soup.

"Actually, I'd like you to do me a favor before you go," she said, pushing away the empty plate.

"Anything! Name it!"

"Before you go, I want you to call room number 415 for me," she said as she dragged herself to the bed.

"415? What for?"

"That's the room Roxanne is staying in," she said, coughing between sentences. "Call her, and ask her something for me."

"Sure. What do I ask?"

"If she could keep me company today. I could really use-" Another loud sneeze cut her off, but she quickly recovered to finish her sentence. "A friend."

"Sure thing, Flannery," I said with a smile. "I'll call her for you."

~o~

I spent about an hour saying goodbye to Flannery, if only because the poor sick girl wouldn't let me go. The cold was really knocking her out, but she fought to stay awake longer to be with me. Eventually, though, fatigue won her over, and she passed out while we were discussing Winona's secret crush on Wallace, the Sootopolis gym leader. Once I noticed she was halfway asleep, I said my final farewell, which she protested like a fussy child. I called Roxanne's room like she asked, just before I left.

"Hello, Star! How nice to speak with you again. Anything I can help you with?"

"Actually, I have a favor to ask, from Flannery," I said softly. Her expression clearly showed she didn't like where this was going, but the better part of her spoke.

"What does she want?"

"She's come down with a cold," I explained, "and she'd like some company after I leave. I'm heading back to Kanto today, and she doesn't want to be alone here."

"I see," she said, looking to something else in the room for a moment. I almost thought she'd say no, to be honest. "You sure she asked this?"

"Sure sure," I said with a giggle. "Her words exact: 'I could really use a friend'."

"I'll be right over, then. Don't leave until I get there."

A little while later, Roxanne showed up at the door, carrying with her a pillow and a spare blanket. By the look of things, she was planning on spending the night on the couch to keep her company. The thought occurred to me to bring up their past, but I bit my tongue. It was a mistake to bring it up with Flannery, and I didn't want to repeat that with Roxanne. Though I will admit I did tease this knowledge by bidding her farewell. I called her 'Roxy', which left her a bit confused at first.

Once all the paperwork was sorted out downstairs, I left the Battle Tower. I took one last look at the place, burning it into memory before I set out for Sootopolis. Down by the pier, I released Feebas from his Pokeball, trying to keep a straight face looking at the hideous critter. I took the scale in my hand, and without thinking twice, placed it on his head. Instantly, the Pokemon flashed white, and began to grow exponentially in size. When the bright light faded, a beautiful and stunning Milotic had replaced Feebas.

"Wow," I said in wonder, petting my new Pokemon. "Can't believe you used to be so ugly."

Milotic pulled back, offended by my comment. I pulled him back in with my hand.

"It's true! Now, we need to get to Sootopolis as fast as possible. Can I count on you, Milotic?"

The Pokemon nodded, and turned around. I adjusted my bag, and grabbed onto his slender back. It wasn't as comfortable as surfing by Lapras or even Wailmer, but it would get me across on my own merits and completely dry. With Vulpix sitting on my bag while clutching onto me, we were off to Sootopolis. Now all I had to hope for was that nothing slowed us on our way.

Too much to hope for, of course.

~o~

Okay, so the slowdown wasn't anyone's fault but my own. As Milotic surfed along, I noticed a beach just a minute or two off to a side. It was the kind of place you'd like to spend a weekend on, splashing around in the summer. However, what caught my eye was a pile of stones in the shape of a small flame. Ever curious, I turned Milotic towards the beach, and had him drop us off there. I justified the stop as a chance for him to rest up, and got right to examining the stone pile.

"I know I've seen this symbol before, Vulpix," I said, getting a closer look at it. I thought at first it was just my imagination, or perhaps I was getting it confused with the official logo of fire types in the Pokemon League. That's when someone came out from the small jungle on the island.

"Who are you?" He called out in a gruff voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I was just curious about your statue, uh, thing here! I'm Star!" I said to him. However, upon closer inspection, I noticed he was wearing a blue bandana, and it had a logo eerily similar to one I was familiar with.

"Well, get off the island, kid. I don't take kindly to visitors." The man crossed his arms, expecting me to leave without a word. I turned to leave, before I stopped and turned around. I knew this man, I had this strangest feeling I knew who he was. And this was something I needed answered right then and there. I stood my ground, and crossed my arms in a similar fashion.

"I know who you are," I said slowly. The man's stern expression slowly warped into a sly smile.

"Do ya, now? Let's hear it, girl." It was a wild guess on my part, or perhaps not too wild.

"You're Archie, the leader of Team Aqua. Or should I say the FORMER Team Aqua! I heard the last of your grunts were arrested at the Battle Frontier, along with David." That last addition was something I shouldn't have done.

"David? I see now, you're that trainer he was after, the one who took the Master Ball from my troops outside Ever Grande!" Now that it was confirmed, I had no qualms with running back to Sootopolis on Milotic.

"Y-Yeah, I think I'll just leave now," I said, taking a few steps back. Archie released a Pokemon, a much larger version of Zubat and Golbat that I hadn't seen before.

"You ain't going anywhere. Crobat, Air Cutter!"

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

I ducked for cover immediately, dodging the incoming blow directed at me personally. Archie had no problems trying to off me, much like Maxie. Which hit me on the spot: if Maxie was also on this island, and he joined Archie in battle, I'd be in serious trouble. I looked over to Vulpix, who was doing her best to try and burn the large bat out of the sky. I had to knock out this Pokemon as quickly as possible and get off this beach.

"Crobat, Confuse Ray!"

"Vulpix, Confuse Ray as well!"

Both Pokemon locked eyes, each one trying to confuse the other. In the end, both ended up disoriented, with Crobat struggling to stay in the air, and Vulpix having to sit down to keep her balance. This was my chance to escape. I scooped her up and made a mad dash for Milotic, who was awaiting me on the shore. Once Archie realized I was making a run for it, he recalled his Crobat and chased after me with a different Pokeball.

"Milotic, use Water Gun on him!" I yelled as I practically jumped onto his back. My slender Pokemon aimed for only a second before firing, forcing Archie back onto the beach. His Pokeball fell out of his hand, causing the critter to be released on the sand and not the ocean. It was a sharklike Pokemon I had seen before, but it was now helpless out of the water.

"Milotic, let's go!"

We sailed off the island, leaving behind an enraged Archie who was trying to get his Pokemon into the water to give chase. I kept turning my head back, trying to see if he'd chase us out to sea. Fortunately, I saw him put that shark Pokemon away and just flail his arm at us in the distance. Letting out a hearty sigh of relief, I loosened my grip on Milotic's back.

"Remind me never to stop at the beach again, you two." Milotic let out a soft cry, while Vulpix was still trying to regain her focus. With a little help from me, she'd overcome that nasty status effect by the time we got to Sootopolis harbor.

~o~

I arrived at the harbor sooner than expected, even with my delayed arrival thanks to the scuffle on the beach. I spoke with the man who let me borrow his Wailmer, and confirmed that SS Aqua was due to dock there at 9:00 the next morning. Satisfied, I started my long hike over the mountain and into town. It would be hard, but if I worked at the Pokemon Center the better part of the night, I could earn a bit of extra money with which to buy my ticket to Vermillion. I only had to hope the local Nurse Joy could offer me some actual work.

Fortunately, when I arrived close to sunset, Nurse Joy was delighted to see me again. I explained my problem, and she was happy to offer me some late night cleaning duty, despite her hesitance at first. After all, I was pretty sure there was some kind of law against making an eleven-year-old work for so many hours late into the night. I assured her that I had no problem with it all, as I desperately needed the money. Last thing I wanted after all this was to miss the SS Aqua, or even be indebted to Professor Birch. Saddened me that I didn't even have any nuggets to sell and help ease up costs.

Regardless, I worked late into the night, cleaning the waiting area and the front counter. Once it got close to midnight, Nurse Joy officially relieved me, even going so far as to order me to bed before she got into some serious trouble. I was certain I hadn't earned my keep just yet, so I'd have to wake up early the next morning to finish the job.

Which I did, despite Nurse Joy's protests. Her Chansey wasn't going to tattle on me, so I was able to clean with Chansey's help that morning. By the time the nurse got up, the waiting area and desk were spotless.

"Just what am I going to do with you, Star?" She asked rhetorically.

"Pay me and allow me to be on my way already?" I said, yawning in the process. I was tired beyond measure, but there was still one last thing to accomplish that morning. Nurse Joy paid me for an entire day's work, telling me it was okay for her to tell a little white lie on my part. With that, I woke Vulpix up that morning and ran out of town. It was still a pretty long hike up and over the mountainside, and I most certainly didn't want to miss my boat.

The SS Aqua was docking just as I made it to the harbor, with a few new passengers awaiting the drawbridge down at the pier. I said my farewells to the Wailmer man, whose name I never did learn, and got in line with the rest of the folks. Once the bridge was out and several passengers got off, the rest of us started climbing aboard. Whereas they showed their tickets to get on, I had to show my Nurse ID card, and then pay a small fee to board the ship. Once on board, I met up with Professor Birch, who was delighted to see me again.

"For a moment there," he told me up on deck, "I didn't think you'd make it. I heard there was a terrible storm over these parts two days ago."

"Yeah, there was. But thanks to me, it was all taken care of." I gloated to the bearded man.

"Really? You'll have to tell me all about it!" I nodded, but let out another long and rude yawn in his face.

"I'm sorry, but first I'd like to take a nap. You don't know the trouble I had to go through yesterday to make it here."


	75. Familiar Lands

Familiar Lands, Chapter 75

The SS Aqua's whistle shook the early morning air. After a week at sea, we had finally arrived in Olivine City. It's hard to describe spending an entire week with only the professor to talk with. After all, what can a young Pokemon trainer and a middle-aged professor discuss that isn't related to Pokemon? So as you might guess, after the first day hanging out together, we had exhausted all our topics of conversation. Birch was nice enough to share a story or two of when he was young and out on his own adventure, but that was like listening to your grandfather tell stories. What he relates to just doesn't work in this day and age.

Therefore, I spent the majority of the week and hours every day wandering aimlessly throughout the ship. The club for Pokemon trainers was still available, but I only paid one visit and promptly left. Somehow, my reputation lingered in that place, and I was instantly offered a free drink by the club's owner as consolation for my loss the last time I was here. With that place out, there was really no where else on board to relax other than my cabin or up on deck. Where my cabin was boring to be in, the deck ran the risk of encountering Professor Birch. On the couple occasions he did catch me and started talking my ear off, I drifted off into a daydream.

But finally it was all over. The morning sun was still not set to rise for another few minutes, and if the Aqua's captain was any good, he'd pull the ship in right at the crack of dawn. I had to make up my own entertainment this whole trip, as you could tell. Sadly, first light peeked over the horizon before the ship had docked fully, so I told myself that perhaps the ship needed a new captain. Out on the pier, several sailors and other people started to gather. Olivine City hadn't changed at all since I last saw it, making me feel a bit nostalgic. Moments like these really highlighted how long I had been traveling.

As the deck hands prepared to extend the drawbridge, a small crowd started to form behind me. Lucky for me, I was at the front of the line, since if there was one thing I had done plenty of this whole voyage, it was sleep. Half the days I was up before dawn because I was asleep before sunset the previous night.

"Oh, there you are, Star!" I heard Professor Birch say as he pushed his way to the front of the line next to me. "You're up awful early."

"Yeah, can't wait to get off the ship for a while!" And hang out with SOMEONE else, but I kept that bit to myself.

"Don't stray too far, now. The ship will depart for Vermillion City at the end of the day, roughly six. Be sure to buy your ticket before then."

"Don't worry, I'll do it right now!" That way I could have the entire day to hang out in town. My list of potential friends in the area was small, at best limited to two. Once I bought my ticket, I'd start by paying Jasmine a visit.

The drawbridge was extended, the captain delivered his usual gratitude speech to the guests, and we were finally let off. I ran ahead of everyone else, swinging to one side to be the first in line for purchasing my ticket to Vermillion. Through the use of my Nurse ID I slashed the price in half, but was still left dangerously short on cash. I'd have to make sure to give Mom a call later and ask her to send some money with Professor Oak, otherwise I'd arrive in Sinnoh without enough to even eat.

However, once I had my ticket in my hands, I realized something. I was going home, back to Kanto. Did I really want to leave on one more journey? I was brushed aside a bit as I pondered this to myself. Mom would certainly be happy to see me back, and I'd be happy to see her as well. But was I done with my journey? I took a seat on the pier, off to a side. With Vulpix next to me, I had to sort this out on the spot. I had plenty of memories already, yet I couldn't help but feel something was missing. I picked up my Pokenav, and dialed home.

"I have to talk to Mom," I told my crimson companion. "She'll help me decide."

The phone rang a couple times, and finally a familiar voice picked it up. Mom's voice.

"Hello?"

"Mom? It's me," I said. I could hear her scream with delight on the other end.

"How are you, baby? I didn't think I'd hear back from you so soon! I mean, I got you that Pokegear so you could call me everyday, and you just don't do that!" Despite her complaints, I knew she was delighted to hear from me. I guess I could stand to call her more often.

"Sorry, Mom. Listen, I need a favor..."

"Anything, dear! Just say the word and I'll get right to it!" I smiled.

"Professor Oak is going to Vermillion City in a couple days, I want you to give him a few things to pass along to me." I chose not to mention my going to Vermillion City just yet. I could feel my heart pound harder and faster in my chest.

"Of course! Is he heading out to Hoenn from there?"

"Not exactly, but he'll be able to give me these things when we meet up. It'll really help me out."

"No problem, Star! What do you need? I received a box of your stuff a couple weeks ago, so I opened it up and put it all back in your room. You have quite a lot of dusting to do when you get back, you know!" That was certainly not something to look forward to.

"I'll get right on it," I lied with a giggle. "If you could let me borrow some money? I had to take a couple of boat rides around Hoenn, and I'm running a bit short."

"Don't worry, I have a nice little nest egg saved up! I'll give it to Professor Oak right away!"

"And one other thing, Mom," I said, looking at Vulpix with a smile. "Could you send a few of those cookies I like so much? It's been a long time since I had some."

"Anything for you, dear. Is that all?" I so desperately wanted to ask her directly, but I had a feeling her answer would be 'stay home with me'. I sighed, feeling my heart heavy in my chest.

"No, that's everything. Thanks, Mom."

"Anytime, Star, you know I'd never turn you down. Maybe I'm crazy for asking, but do you know when you'll be coming home?" Again, my heart skipped a beat. Now I was flat out lying to her, and I didn't know if I could go through with it.

"N-Not yet, Mom." My voice quivered. "I mean- I don't know when. B-But soon, I think."

"It's okay, don't worry about it. Just don't forget I'm still here for you, okay? Anything you ever need, anything at all, I'm always here for you."

"I know, Mom," I said, feeling my eyes well up. "I-I know."

"Star, honey? What's wrong?" She asked, sensing my soft sobs from across the line.

"Nothing," I told her, wiping my eyes. "Just some dust or something in my eye."

"Okay, if you say so. I'll have these things in Professor Oak's hands by lunch, so don't you worry about it, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks, Mom."

"Alright, sweetie, I'll talk to you soon."

"Bye, Mom." The line went silent, and I turned off the Pokenav. I finished wiping away the tears in my eyes, and looked at Vulpix. She gave me a few licks on my hand, trying to cheer me up.

"It's okay, girl," I told her with a smile on my face. "I think I know what I should do now. Come on, let's go."

~o~

My first stop in town was the gym. Short of Amphy falling ill again, Jasmine wouldn't be found anywhere else, I gathered. I went to open the door, only to find it locked tight. Confused, I looked around for some sort of sign or note about the closure. I stopped after a few seconds, laughing to myself. Vulpix looked at me as if I'd gone crazy.

"It's like six in the morning, she wouldn't be up this early, right? Guess I'll just come back later." I turned around, and nearly bumped into an older man.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going," I apologized quickly.

"No harm done, young lady. Good day." The man walked over to the gym doors, and slapped a piece of paper on it. Once he was gone, I leaned in close to read the notice.

"'Olivine City Gym Closed for Renovations'? 'Trainers seeking badges of merit for entrance into the Pokemon League must report to the Indigo Plateau for an alternate challenge until further notice'. It's like I seem to have all the bad luck in the world!"

"You read the sign, I take it?" Came a voice from behind me. I turned to see the old man again.

"Actually, I'm not here to challenge Jasmine for a badge. I just wanted to talk to her; we're friends, you see."

"Well, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you, young lady, but Jasmine's been gone since last week. Someone else was tending the gym until yesterday, and today I received word that it would be closed until Jasmine returned." Informative old man, I'll admit.

"Where'd she go?"

"Afraid I don't know," he said. Not very informative at all, then.

"Well, thank you sir. Have a nice day." I scooped up Vulpix in my arms and made off into town again. With Jasmine gone, there really wasn't anyone else I could spend the day with in all of Johto. My thoughts turned to the only other friend I knew in the region, Rebecca; she lived all the way in Violet City, though.

"It's like the world is out to bore me to death or something," I told Vulpix. "And the last thing I want to do is go to the Pokemon Center. I don't feel like working and I don't want to just sit around waiting for the ship to leave."

Protest all I might to my Pokemon, it didn't change my predicament. Once this finally sunk in, I let out a heavy sigh and placed her on the ground. I thought back to the last time I was here, and that event I went to with Yunie. Shame I didn't have any money to spend on one of those electronic Pokemon toys.

~o~

"Miss? Would you like anything else?" I could clearly tell the young waiter was starting to tire of asking me the same question.

"No, I'm fine," I mumbled back to him, not lifting my head from the table. I had been sitting at that small diner for over an hour now, and hadn't ordered anything other than a slice of apple pie and five glasses of water. He wanted me to pay for my pie and leave already, but he couldn't outright tell me that. Heck, I wanted to leave, too. If there was nothing for me to do on land, better to have nothing to do on the ship and be on my way to Vermillion City.

"Very well, miss." He said with a hint of contempt. A lightbulb went off in my head at that instant.

"Wait! Sir?" He stopped and grudgingly turned around to face me. He did so wearing an obviously fake smile.

"Yes?"

"I haven't been here to Olivine in a while, see. Is there anything new in town? Like, the past couple months kind of new?" If he really wanted me gone, he'd come up with something before long.

"Come to think of it, there's a new flower gift shop or something on the north end of the city, near the entrance. It opened up last month, but the shop isn't doing too well. Perhaps you could go there for a while?"

"Thanks! I will!" I said with a smile bright enough to make him squint. I left just enough to cover the pie, but I couldn't afford a penny more. No doubt I spoiled someone's morning, but I didn't plan on returning to that place ever again, anyway. With a newfound spring in my step, I skipped along merrily to this supposed flower shop.

Nestled away behind a large building, the shop could almost pass for a shack. It was an old wooden building that showed clear signs of being consistently patched up. A large and colorful painted sign hung above the entrance, announcing 'Victreebel Flowers'. It had been a while since I'd seen a Victreebel, but I was pretty sure they didn't have any form of flowers on their bodies. I stepped inside the store, only to be met by a face I never expected to see again.

"Rebecca?" The girl tending the shop looked up from her magazine, and her mouth went agape when she saw me.

"It can't be? Star!?" She jumped over the rickety counter to give me a powerful embrace, lifting me clear off the ground.

"I didn't think I'd ever see you again! Where have you been?" She said as she finally put me down.

"Sorry, I took a bit longer to get here to Olivine than I originally planned. You were already gone by the time I arrived."

"That's okay, but I can't believe you're here! Where've you been all this time?"

"Hoenn," I said, scratching the back of my head. "I got a ticket for the SS Aqua when I arrived here all that time ago, and I jumped aboard the ship to Hoenn. Been traveling all over there for the past couple months."

"Collecting more badges to show me up, I take it?"

"Of course!" I giggled. I took a quick look around the shop, seeing all sorts of different flowers and flower related merchandise. A number of the flowers were starting to wilt, probably due to the cold. "So, what's with the flower shop?"

"Well, after I was released from the hospital, I went back to Ecruteak City to look for you. You weren't there, and that girl told me you had gone chasing after the red-haired kid. I had a feeling you'd turn up eventually, so I just went back home. When I got back, Elder Li told me he had a bit of a job for me to do, which was to keep this shop up and running." And what a job he had in store for her, I thought.

"This place belong to him?"

"Yeah, and flowers that grow around Violet City and Sprout Tower are brought here to sell to tourists. It's kind of a boring job, but I gave up Pokemon training anyway, so it doesn't bother me as much."

"What? So what happened to your Pokemon?"

"Oh, I still have them. Victreebel is behind that wall, arranging flowers around. After what happened at the Burned Tower, I sort of gave up on the whole 'be the best trainer' thing. How about you? Any reason you're still collecting badges?"

"Well, I really don't know," I said, turning away from her gaze. "I just... I just collect them, you know? It's like a mission for me, something I can't deny doing."

"It's okay," she said, patting me on the shoulder. "Just messing with you. If it makes you happy, that's what counts, right?

"Well, while I was in Hoenn, I did take the test to become a nurse! I passed, and got this!" I showed Rebecca my ID card, proud of my accomplishment.

"Wow, this is so cool! So you're going to be a nurse?"

"Well, I'm not sure yet," I told her as I put the ID card away. "Maybe after I finish with my Pokemon journey. Not a bad job, right?"

"Of course not! Want to go grab something to eat? I'm getting a bit hungry myself, my treat."

"Um, I'm not that hungry, but I'll join you. Just... not the diner, okay?"

~o~

Rebecca left Victreebel in charge of the shop, though how a Pokemon was supposed to tend a shop in the first place was beyond me. Still, I chose not to make a fuss about it, as I had acquired what I was looking for all this time: someone to talk to. Over lunch, I shared just about everything that happened to me over in Hoenn. Rebecca hung on my every word, especially considering the crazy things that happened both with Groudon and Kyogre and both Teams Aqua and Magma. When I got to the part about David, Rebecca couldn't believe her ears.

"David? As in the David that helped us out when we first met David?" I nodded.

"I was just as shocked, and scared, too. He was going to kill me unless Vulpix hadn't jumped in to save me. It was his fault the Silph Building was taken over by Team Rocket, and since then he had been moving all over the place as an undercover agent for Team Rocket."

"Wow, I just can't believe it. Scary how you don't really know anyone, after all." The mood was downed, but I tried to pick it right back up with another fun tale.

"Well, at least we don't have to worry about them anymore, right? Also, there was this crazy thing all over Hoenn on TV. For a short time, I was being followed by a reporter named-"

"Gaby!" Rebecca cut in, which left me stunned.

"Don't tell me..."

"No, that channel isn't available here in Johto normally. The flower shop has an old TV that catches signals from Hoenn every once in a while. I've seen that reporter a few times, and she mentioned this girl trainer called Star. I didn't think it was you at the time, though. Maybe it just slipped my mind."

The clock in the restaurant struck two, a painful reminder of my limited time. By this point, Rebecca had noticed my constant vigil of the time, and decided to ask about it.

"Going somewhere?"

"Yeah, I have to be back at the pier before six," I said with a bit of a sigh.

"You're leaving again? So soon?"

"Well, I'm taking the SS Aqua back to Vermillion City. When I get there, I'm still not sure if I'll be jumping aboard another ship to Sinnoh." It was like I never stopped moving.

"Sinnoh? What are you going all the way up there for? Don't you think you've seen enough of the world already?" And Rebecca did have a bit of a point. Still...

"I'm forgetting something," I told her solemnly. "And until I remember what it is, I can't go back home."

"You're the boss, Star. But hey, don't get all mopey on me now! We still have at least three more hours together! Let's go have some fun!"

If there was one thing I did remember about Rebecca, it's that she never was this upbeat. It made me wonder about myself, if I had changed much on my journey. I guess the only way I'd ever know is if I asked someone who knew me before I left. And the only person that came to mind was Mom. And this is what continued to nag at me during those three hours.

~o~

The sun was setting, and thus it was time for me to board the SS Aqua. Rebecca closed the flower shop to see me off with Victreebel, who remembered Vulpix quite well. The two Pokemon didn't seem to get along too well, so Vulpix was in my arms until I boarded the ship.

"Don't forget to give me a call every now and then, okay? I have nothing better to do at that store most of the time."

"I'll try to remember, but you know I don't even call my own mom that often."

"Well, I'm not your mom! Call me, got that?" She threatened with a waggle of her finger.

"I promise," I said. Vulpix barked a few times as her farewell, while Victreebel seemed to hiss at her.

"All aboard!" Came the cry from the deckhand aboard the ship. The time to depart had come at last.

"Well, this is it-" I said, just as Rebecca ran up to me to give me one last hug.

"Take care, Star. It was great to see you again."

"You too, Rebecca. Bye," I said, trying my best not to break down into tears in front of her. I was never one for long goodbyes. I climbed the ramp, and handed my ticket to the man. Running around him, I went to the railing to see Rebecca off with a wave. The ship's whistle bellowed into the twilight sky, and the drawbridge was raised.

As the ship pulled out of the harbor, and Rebecca shrank in size as the distance grew, I also bid farewell to Johto. I wouldn't be returning to this region again for years to come. Once my friend was too small to make out amongst the crowd, I dropped my arm. From behind came Professor Birch, whom I'd almost forgotten was making this trip with me.

"An old friend of yours?" He asked with a warm smile on his face.

"Yeah, real old. And one of my best."

~o~

Two days later, we finally arrived in Vermillion City. Though this trip was much more enjoyable than the last, I was still happy to get away from Professor Birch for a while. We stood side by side on deck, looking out into the crowd waiting by the docks. Somewhere in that crowd was Professors Oak and Elm, and that's when something funny hit me. Oak, Elm, Birch... all tree names. Maybe I was just thinking too much.

"What happens now?" I asked Birch.

"Well, we stay in Vermillion for a few hours, until the SS Spiral arrives to pick us up. Don't worry about tickets, I have them right here." Birch showed me the two tickets before offering me one of them.

"Thanks, I'll just hang around the harbor. Not much to do here, anyway." At least, that's what I thought. Once the ship docked and passengers started disembarking, I was in for a most heartwarming and pleasant surprise. Standing the crowd, alongside Professors Oak and Elm, was my very own mother!

"Star!" She called out to me. I just froze in place, almost unable to process this. Then my body just started moving all on its own as I ran into her arms. After the bombardment of kisses died down, I looked past her to see Professor Oak smiling at me. Instantly I felt my face go red, and I pulled away from Mom to compose myself.

"Professor Oak, it's good to see you again," I said, rubbing out the welled up tears in my eyes.

"Indeed, Star. Now, no need to waste time with me, we'll have plenty of time to talk on the trip. Go ahead and spend all the time you can with your mother."

"That's right! Come on, Star, let's get inside, it's cold out here!" Mom grabbed me by my hand, dragging me through the crowds on the pier. Once we were in clear streets, me first instinct was to pull away from her, for fear of the embarrassment around me. However, I let Mom walk me to where ever it is we were headed. Somehow, the thought of it all just didn't seem to bother me as much as it used to.

We went into a small seafood place, and took a seat in the first available table. I wasn't planning on eating anything, seeing as how seafood wasn't my favorite kind of food, but Mom wasted no time in ordering something for herself.

"So, you tell me to pass along some things to the professor, but you don't tell me you'll be arriving here for me to see you?" I knew she'd start with that.

"Well, when I called you from Olivine City, I wasn't sure if I'd still be going with the professors to Sinnoh. I felt lost, so I called you to see what I should do," I said to her, looking directly into her eyes. A soft smile formed on her face.

"But you didn't ask when you called..."

"I didn't have to," I said. "When I heard your voice, I just knew, you know? Does that make any sense?"

"Certainly. Makes perfect sense." Despite her reassurance, I still felt a little uneasy about it all.

"I promise," I continued, taking hold of her hand on the table, "even if I don't find what I'm looking for in Sinnoh, it'll be the end of my Pokemon journey."

"Are you sure? There's no need to rush, Star. Take all the time you want."

"No, I'm serious," I said, feeling more confident now than ever before. "I'll come home, and start studying again."

"Oh? And what sparked this change of heart?" That was my cue. I dug into my bag, and showed Mom my Nurse ID.

"I took the test while I was in Hoenn, and passed. I'm officially a trainee nurse with the Pokemon League, and can start training as soon as I want."

"This is wonderful, Star! Congratulations! To think, you're going to be a nurse! I heard the Joy family practically owns the Nursing industry, so be sure to show them that they aren't the only ones capable of the job."

"Thanks, Mom. Are you doing okay without me? I'm sorry I left you alone like that..." Mom just chuckled at my sudden display of sincerity.

"Now you decide to worry about that? After so many months of me being alone?" I turned away from her, feeling guilty about it all. She slapped the back of my hand hard, causing me to reel it back.

"Ow! That hurt!"

"Consider it your punishment for leaving me alone," she said, still keeping that smile on her face. "Seriously, Star, there's nothing to worry about. I still have the entire town, not to mention I see and speak with Deneb almost on a daily basis. Which reminds me, he told me to tell you that he's sorry he couldn't come see you today."

"Oh... okay," I said, growing distant. Just who was Mom talking about again?

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll see him again soon enough. And speaking of which, I haven't gotten a chance to see Vulpix! Come here, girl!" Mom called for my faithful fox, whom ran over to her without question. It was a strange sight, seeing Mom and Vulpix bond so well. Before I left, she sort of regarded Vulpix as a necessary evil, to keep me from running off as I did. Guess Vulpix had a way of warming people's hearts.

"Listen, I gave Professor Oak those cookies you asked for, and here's the money." Mom handed me an envelope, which felt heavy from the amount of cash that was inside. Remembering what I was taught, I stashed the entire thing in my bag, with the intent of putting it away properly in my purse later.

"Feels like a lot," I whispered.

"There's enough to help you get by, provided you don't go crazy spending it on junk food. You're eating healthy, right?" I nodded, as this was something I never joked about with her.

"Yes, Mom. I try to eat my vegetables and fruits everyday, just like you taught me." Her smile vanished and in its place was a stern grin.

"Don't patronize me, Star. I know no kid your age willingly eats their vegetables. Just promise me you don't go eating junk everyday, though by the look of you I'd say you're hardly eating at all."

"I eat!" I defended. "Just... I have to eat less when I'm traveling. It's not easy carrying around all that food in my bag."

A pair of boat whistles sounded in unison outside the restaurant. The SS Aqua was departing, and in its place came the SS Spiral. Already my time here with Mom was coming to an end. I didn't say anything to her, but she realized it just as well as I did.

"How long," she said, her voice going soft, "do you think you'll be in Sinnoh?"

"I'm not sure. However long it takes, I guess." The safest estimates placed me gone for around a pair of months, but it could vary anywhere more or less.

"Well, I just have to start counting down the days until you come back, right?" Mom wiped away something at the corner of her eye, but did not show a single tear on her face.

"I'll be back home before you know it," I said, trying not to think about it too much. Last thing I wanted to break down in front of her.

"I guess. Well, let's go. Don't want you to miss the boat. I'll walk you there, baby."

Again, my first instinct was to retort the baby comment. And yet again, I chose not to. I knew this was hard for Mom, probably a lot harder than it was for me to say goodbye again. We left the restaurant hand in hand, and walked down to the docks the same way. Vulpix stayed close by, as always. Mom didn't let my hand go until I climbed aboard the ship.

And she didn't take her eyes off the ship until it was completely out of sight. I'd later tell her I did the same.


	76. Dreams of Reality

Dreams of Reality, Chapter 76

I hummed to myself a mysterious melody on the day we were set to arrive in Sinnoh. The previous eight days of travel were far more engrossing than I expected, considering the company I was keeping. Then again, I also had the entertainment onboard the SS Spiral to thank in part. Though I was thoroughly engrossed in learning various mysteries of Pokemon from Professors Oak and Elm, it almost didn't compare to the wondrous spectacles that were Pokemon theatre. Held every night during dinner in the ship's massive dining hall, people got to watch epic tales of heroism as portrayed by well-trained Pokemon.

Though it would be unfair to glance over Professor Oak's lectures, as they would come to have a great foreshadowing on my time in Sinnoh. Firstly, Professor Elm shared the discoveries made in the Alph Ruins. Since my visit, they had deciphered a number of the hidden messages left by an unknown civilization, though Professor Elm believes it was the Unown themselves that left these messages. Having seen the Unown myself, they certainly seemed strange enough as Pokemon, and I wouldn't doubt their ability to do something like that.

"However, Star," Professor Oak told me the night before arriving in Sinnoh, "there are many more mysteries concerning Pokemon we have yet to uncover. There's this one myth that has caught my attention, specifically because of its proximity to our destination."

"Really?" I asked, genuinely curious. Professor Oak showed me a crude illustration of the Pokemon in question.

"The official name according to the Sinnoh League is Cresselia. Apparently, it's a Pokemon whose mythology is traced back to dreams and nightmares. Legends have placed its natural habitat on an island near Canalave City, so I was thinking of arranging a field study of the island before the conference."

"You sure we have time for that, Oak?" Professor Birch chipped in.

"The conference doesn't begin until the day after tomorrow... 'officially' speaking." For once, it sounded like Professor Oak was making things up as he went along.

"Shouldn't we at least contact Professor Rowan? We wouldn't want him to be left out of the loop," added Elm from the other side of the table.

"You place the call then," Oak said to the younger professor, "while I arrange for transport to the island. It goes without saying that we'll be accompanied by our intrepid young trainer, correct?"

"I wouldn't turn down an opportunity to see a rare Pokemon, sir!" I said with a cheerful smile on my face. Vulpix pitched in with her own bark, and the expedition was official. Soon as we landed at Canaclave City, we'd be off again to Fullmoon Island.

So it was that I stood on deck of the ship as Canalave City came up on the horizon. The night before, I had this strange dream, where a melancholic melody rang out to me over the ocean waves. And since waking up, I hadn't been able to get it out of my head. Perhaps I had been visited in my dreams by Cresselia herself?

Before we pulled into the harbor, I was joined up on the deck by Professor Oak. I hadn't really gotten a chance to talk to him one on one the entire trip, so this was a rare opportunity.

"Professor, I want to ask you something."

"What is it, Star?"

"Is it possible for a Pokemon to steal a memory? Or something you hold dear in your heart?" It was almost a ludicrous question, and I very nearly retracted it.

"There's a lot we don't know about Pokemon, Star," he said with a stern expression, one I was familiar with. "Thanks to the Pokemon League's cooperation, we've been able to make great strides in Pokemon Research, but I think we haven't even begun to fully understand Pokemon."

"But, what about everything you've worked for all these years? Hasn't it been a long time of studying and learning?"

"And if I had to put a number on what we know, it wouldn't break the double digits. Plus, as a scientist, it's against my very being to give arbitrary percentages to something we might never fully comprehend. Think of it this way: why are there so many kinds of Pokemon, yet only a few different kinds of humans?"

"Umm..." I gave it a bit of honest hard thought, but I feared saying anything. I didn't want to sound stupid to the professor.

"Don't worry, I'm not quizzing you or anything; just give me your best guess." Not that it made me feel any better of taking a shot in the dark with this.

"Maybe we're all... also Pokemon, too?" I could feel my cheeks and ears growing hot, like the professor was about to laugh in my face for saying something so stupid.

"You know, some researchers, primarily scholars from decades ago, thought as you did. There are humanlike Pokemon even today, and they display higher brain functions you'd normally attribute to intelligent life. Yet only humans have evolved to a point where we take Pokemon and use them for our own personal gains. Truth is, Star, your guess might be right on the nose, or off by a million miles. That's what we're here to find out."

"Oh... I see..." To be honest, he lost me a bit in the middle of the explanation.

"And to answer your original question: I don't think it impossible for a Pokemon to steal memories. There's still much we don't know about memories and dreams as it is, so it's not unlikely spiritual Pokemon, such as ghost types, are capable of influencing memory. It's a bit more complicated than saying 'they steal memories', but the idea is generally the same."

"Is there a way to get them back?" I asked, hopeful. Professor Oak sighed, generally a bad sign.

"I can't give you a definitive answer, Star. Perhaps, if you work hard enough, you can recover the memory on your own. Of course, my first thought would be to find the Pokemon that did this to you." And that was actually not too difficult to manage, in a worst case scenario.

"Thank you, Professor, for the talk."

"You're most welcome, Star. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to gather my things before we arrive at Canalave City." Oak gave me a pat on the shoulder, then returned belowdecks.

I made a promise to myself, right then and there. If my Sinnoh journey didn't help me regain that lost piece of myself, I'd contact Nancy. She caught that Shuppet that attacked me on my birthday, and would most likely still have it. Now that it was tamed, surely she could command it to give back what it stole from me. But until then, I'd work at this problem on my own. I knew, deep down, that the missing memory was important to me. I'd recover it myself.

~o~

Since I started traveling, I always kept an eye open for the cities I visited. It was a treat to see how different every city was to the one that came before it, and ultimately different to Pallet Town. But here was the first time I took notice of the different people. Aside from their dress, everyone looked so different, and we stood out quite a bit against the inhabitants of the region.

Aside from that, Canalave City was pretty typical for a port town. It wasn't as pretty as Vermillion, or as bustling as Olivine, and no where near as big as Slateport. So I guess it was just... typical. What wasn't typical were the Pokemon people seemed to travel with. Though I was tempted to start scanning right away, Professor Oak saw to it that my attention was redirected at the expedition.

"Star, I have a task for you," he said once he caught up with me in town. He handed me a piece of paper and an envelope.

"What is it?" I asked as I opened the envelope. Inside was a bundle of money!

"I need you to secure some supplies for this little field trip. Go to the local mart and pick up everything I've written down, and meet up with us on the other side of town. The smaller vessels dock there, and that's where we'll be departing from."

"Sure thing, Professor." The last time I was asked to do some shopping, I ran away from home. The memory made me giggle a bit to myself.

"Good. We'll be waiting for you, so don't take too long, now." Professor Oak rejoined his comrades, and went their own way. I looked down at Vulpix, who was enjoying herself as dozens of people around us went their own way.

"Let's go, girl!"

Canalave City was divided into two distinct sections on either side of a small channel. While most of the residences were on the eastern side, the western side had the businesses, though this set up wasn't exact. Fortunately, the shop I was looking for happened to be on the western side (where the ship left us), so I strolled right in to get to buying things. The top of the professor's list was the usual things, such as specific foods, camping supplies, and repels to keep the wild critters at bay. However, the bottom end of the list had some really strange articles.

"What's an Elixir? And why does the professor want two of them?" I said to myself.

"The Elixirs are on this shelf, miss," came a voice from behind me. Not one for surprises, I yelped and jumped forward, causing the young man working the shop to laugh. "Didn't mean to startle you, miss."

"No no, I'm just a bit jumpy, is all. Where are the Elixirs again?" The young man took a pair from the shelf and handed them to me. On the label there was list of strange chemicals and ingredients, but I couldn't make out any of it.

"Don't mean to pry, but are you sure you have enough to pay for those?"

"Well, I think so. The professor wouldn't give me less money than I needed for all this stuff." I checked the list again, seeing that the Elixirs were the last things I needed.

"Well, whenever you're ready, I can check you out at the front." He said with a smile. The manner in which he said it made me blush, but Vulpix was quick to snap me out of my romantic fancies with a whack from her half dozen tails. Everything gathered, I went up to the front, where the young man was waiting. I placed the basket up on the counter, and he got to work scanning every item.

"You're not from around here, are you?" He said to me, trying to make idle chitchat.

"N-No," I replied, trying to maintain eye contact. "I'm from Pallet Town, in Kanto."

"That's nice, I've been there myself, actually. So I'm guessing the 'professor' you mentioned back there is Professor Oak?"

"Yeah, that's right. He came here for a conference or something, so I tagged along to explore the region."

"Fledgling trainer? Or did you travel elsewhere first?" I gave the young man a proud smile, putting my hands on my hips.

"I've already explored three whole regions! Sinnoh is going to be my fourth!" I was about to prove myself with my trainer cards, but restrained myself. Wasn't often I had the chance to show off my accomplishments.

"That's cool! I was a trainer as well, recently. I quit to start working here. Your total will be ¥9980, by the way." I emptied out the envelope, but didn't exactly want to count all that money. I handed it all to the young man, and he went right to counting it.

"Why'd you quit?" I asked. He finished counting out the correct amount within seconds, and returned a small portion to me.

"I felt I'd learned all there was to learn from Pokemon training. It's a learning experience, not a way of life. Just a friendly piece of advice from one trainer to another." He bagged up all the items, and handed them to me with a smile. "Thank you for shopping with us."

"Thank you for the chat," I replied. I turned to leave, when something came over me. I turned back to him. "My name's Star, by the way."

"Pleasure to meet you, Star," he said. He pointed to his name tag, "I'm Neil."

There really wasn't anything else to say to him, but I remained stationary, praying something would come to mind to keep this conversation going a bit longer. After a few awkward seconds, Neil was the one to break the silence.

"Is there something else you need, Star?"

"U-Umm, will you be here tomorrow? Or maybe, the day after?" On the spot, I didn't know if I'd be back by tomorrow or the day after, but I could go asking ahead any further.

"I'll be here tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that, if you're looking for me. It'll be a busy week with all the new tourists."

"Then, I'll swing by again, okay?" I couldn't believe the words coming out of my mouth, but at the same time I couldn't stop myself.

"Come by anytime, Star." Neil saw me off with a smile, which made my heart skip a beat.

Once I was outside, Vulpix scratched at my leg a couple times, trying to snap me out of my lovestruck daze. It was just something spontaneous, and I couldn't believe what I had just done. Still, what was done was done, and I was really looking forward to seeing Neil again. Vulpix was looking troubled, though, which had me confused.

"Don't worry, Vulpix," I reassured her, "I'm sure Neil's a nice person. You don't have to worry about him."

The worry on her face still wasn't gone, but my mind wandered elsewhere on the way to meet up with the professors. I couldn't remember feeling this way about anyone else at the moment.

~o~

"Professor, what're the Elixirs for?" We were on a small ferry, headed north to Fullmoon Island.

"An experiment Professor Elm and myself will be conducting once we're on the island. I trust you were able to pay for everything adequately with the funds I provided?"

"Yeah, there was some money left over, too. Here," I said, handing over the envelope.

"Good work, Star. Now, once we get on the island, we'll have to move about silently. Cresselia is said to be a nocturnal Pokemon, so we don't want to scare her and have her take off on us."

Fullmoon Island was more than an hour from the mainland, so it wasn't long before we docked on the beach. Professor Oak said we had until the following morning to find Cresselia, so I wasted no time in putting Vulpix to the task. Birch would be my companion, while the other two professors would remain near the beach to perform their experiment with the Elixirs. Fortunately for me, Birch insisted on going separate ways, so I didn't have to hang around him.

Vulpix was instantly on the trail of something in the woods, so I followed her as quietly as possible as she sniffed out the critter in question. I sprayed some repel behind me as I went along, making sure to keep an escape route handy. Professor Oak did say Cresselia would flee before attacking us, but I didn't want to take any chances. Finally, we arrived at a small clearing, and there was a large Pokemon bathing in the moonlight. I pulled out my Pokedex, and made sure to mute the thing before scanning it.

Cresselia was the Lunar Pokemon, according to the Pokedex. 'Shiny particles are released from its wings like a veil. It is said to represent the crescent moon.' Just as I was about to ponder the Pokedex's ability to list this information, Vulpix started pushing me away from the clearing. I looked over, and noticed that Cresselia had taken notice of us, and was slowly approaching. Fear overtook me, and I felt my entire body freeze up. Vulpix barked at the glowing Pokemon once, causing Cresselia to flash her eyes at Vulpix. Vulpix collapsed, sound asleep; a Hypnosis attack.

"What do you want?" I asked in a soft whisper. Despite my fears, I felt a strange sense of peace coming from Cresselia. The Pokemon pointed to the sky, and began humming a familiar tune. It was that same melody that had taken over my mind since the previous night!

"You put that song into my head? Why?" The Pokemon just continued to look at me, as if I had the answer I sought. Again, Cresselia began to hum the song, but it still wasn't helping me out.

"I wish Pokemon could talk," I mumbled to myself. Cresselia made a high-pitched squeal, which promptly knocked that bad thought out. She then continued to hum the song. My fears gone, I remained seated on the ground, wondering still what it was Cresselia wanted with me. The humming continued, and before I knew it, I was humming alongside her in harmony. This was actually what she wanted from the start.

With our singing in sync, a mental image began to form in my mind. In it, I saw a dark cloud forming around a mountain. Flashes of light broke through the cloud, leading me to think it was some sort of thunderstorm. But deep within the darkness, I saw a glowing eye, as if staring me down. The dream faded away, and with it, Cresselia. The Pokemon was no where to be seen, yet I could hear the voice of Professor Birch in the distance.

"Star, are you alright? We just spotted Cresselia taking off into the sky. Did you manage to scan it?" He came around the trees to help me up, and made sure I wasn't hurt.

"Yeah, but the strangest thing happened," I said, carrying Vulpix in my arms. She was still sound asleep, so I decided not to wake her. "I think I saw something Cresselia wanted me to see."

"This is quite a discovery! Come, explain everything down by the beach. I'm certain the other professors would love to hear it."

Once we had joined up with Oak and Elm, I explained everything that happened with Cresselia. The dream as well, in great detail. All three of the men were taken aback by this story, but it seemed not a single one of them had any explanation to give me.

"Does it mean anything, then?" I asked, still confused by it all.

"It could be something of great importance, Star," Professor Oak chipped in. "Or it could simply be a nightmare Cresselia wanted to relieve you of. Local legends also say that the Pokemon has the power to vanquish nightmares."

"Speaking of nightmares, I came across these," said Professor Birch, showing us all a pair of green, glowing feathers. "Lunar wings, dropped by Cresselia when she took off."

"I didn't see any wings or feathers on Cresselia," I said, taking one of the feathers in my own hand.

"They're called lunar wings, but they actually have little to do with actual feathers. Cresselia leaves these behind for people to find. They're said to have the same effect for dispelling nightmares, which explains why they lose their glow after you wake up. Superstitions, really, but the people in Sinnoh tend to make lots of business with them."

"No doubt they have some unique qualities on their own," cut in Professor Oak, who took the second wing. "We should take one with us and examine it in depth at Rowan's lab. If it's alright with Professor Birch, you can take the other one, Star."

The professor nodded, which made the small glowing trinket mine. If it was true that it could keep the nightmares away, I didn't want it being wasted anytime soon. Professor Oak didn't seem to believe Cresselia's vision was of any importance, but I did. She showed me that for a reason, and I knew that it would come true eventually. The night was dark, but towards the mainland I could see the shape of a mountain towering over Sinnoh. I was certain that mountain would have something to do with the dream.

~o~

The next morning, we arrived back in Canalave City before breakfast. We were going straight to Sandgem Town from there, which would take the entirety of the day by car. Of course, I managed to sneak away from the professors for a little while to pay a visit to Neil at the store. It seemed to be another slow day, despite his claim the previous day that this week would be 'hectic'.

"Well, hello again, Star. Can I help you find anything?"

"I have a question," I started, making sure to keep up my smile. "What's the mountain in the center of this region called?"

"Mt Coronet, though it's actually just one of a dozen mountains. The range divides Sinnoh into two parts." And that was where the dark cloud would form.

"Has there ever been a storm around the mountain? Like, a huge thunderstorm or something?"

"I'm fairly certain it's happened in the past, but I don't think it was ever as grand you make it out to be. Why do you ask?"

"No reason," I lied, realizing my time was running short. The professors would be pulling up at any moment to pick me up.

"Well, if that's all, I do have to get back to work. Please come again if you're ever in town." I felt my face grow hot at the request.

"S-Sure. Maybe in a few days or a week? I'm going to Sandgem Town from here and-" I was cut off by some honking outside. What a time for the professors to show up.

"Seems like they're calling for you." Neil laughed.

"Yeah, right," I said sadly. "Well, I'll see you again soon, I hope."

"And I'll be here, I hope. Have a nice day, Star."

"You too, Neil."

I ran out of the store, hopping into the backseat of the car with Professor Elm. The small bit of flirting aside, I did learn something important. Mt Coronet was going to be the site of the storm from Cresselia's dream. And the reason she showed me it was because it was going to happen soon. I'd have to spend time in Sinnoh until it happened. Normally I'd want nothing to do with these events, but it felt like Cresselia was counting on me to solve this mystery.

Just what was in the center of the dark cloud? What did that menacing eye belong to?


	77. The Creeping Shadow

The Creeping Shadow, Chapter 77

The trip to Sandgem Town was a scenic one. I took down mental notes along the road, realizing I'd probably we walking all over these places again once I set out on my own. Our only stop on this little road trip was Jubilife City, the largest city in all of Sinnoh. The agenda was strictly limited to stopping for food, so I was given the opportunity to stretch my legs and explore. It'd be my first destination once I left Twinleaf Town, though I was surprised to learn it didn't have a Pokemon gym. Of course, for this journey that didn't matter too much to me. My new goal here was to see the threat of that dark cloud removed before I returned home.

As we left the city, a particular sign advertising openings in a condominium building caught my eye. It said that prices were at an all time low, in an effort to avoid going out of business. It gave me an idea.

"Professor, what do you think the price is on one of those condos? There was a sign saying they were cheap."

"Looking to move in, Star? It's effectively a house you'd be trying to buy, even if it is only for a temporary rent." Oak looked back at me from the front passenger seat. Birch was driving the car, since apparently Oak didn't like to drive.

"I was just curious," I replied, looking away from him.

"I can't say with any certainty, anyway. Why don't you ask next time you're in Jubilife?" Oak turned back towards the front of the car, leaving me to sort of sulk in the back seat with Elm.

"Yeah, guess I'll do that." I mumbled half-heartedly. I knew it wouldn't be cheap, but if I could find some kind of job to pay for it, I wouldn't have to be hiding out in Pokemon Centers while I waited for the dark cloud to appear. And with my Nurse ID, I was certain finding work- in a Pokemon Center, naturally- wouldn't be extremely difficult. Had to plan ahead, after all.

From Jubilife, it was a short hop south on Route 202 before we arrived at our destination. Sandgem reminded me of Pallet Town, in a way, especially with the beachfront right on the edge of town. Of course, you wouldn't find any kids swimming in it this time of year. We first pulled up in front of a larger building, where Professor Elm stepped out of the car.

"I'll go on and inform Rowan that we've arrived. See you at the inn." Elm took only his bag of papers, leaving his luggage in the car. From there, we drove a short ways down the road, to an equally large building where Birch finally turned off the car.

"We're finally here," said Professor Oak as we piled out of the car. The inn looked homely, like the kind you see in advertisements at the base of mountains. Inside the inn was about the same, with the rustic feel. I actually felt like I was on the frontier of some wilderness, and wild critters could storm the place at any minute.

"This place is so nice!" I said, before it occurred to me to keep Vulpix close by. It looked like the entire place was made of wood, so a single stray ember could set the entire place on fire.

"You'll have at least two days to soak it all in, Star. The League isn't going to pay for anymore than that." Professor Oak looked over to the front desk, where Birch was already signing us all in. It was still pretty bright out, with enough light to allow a little exploration of my own.

"Do these conferences usually take long?"

"It depends on everyone involved. I personally have quite a few subjects to discuss at length with the other professors. You don't have to sit in on everything we do, you know. I'm pretty sure you'd much rather get out there and start seeing new Pokemon."

"Well, I at least want to meet the new professors," I added, now carrying Vulpix in my arms. I was honestly becoming paranoid of staying here for the night. Vulpix had never accidentally set anything ablaze while we were on the road, but there was always a potential first time.

"Well, you'll have a good chance to do that tomorrow." At that moment, another guest in the inn emerged from one of the rooms, a woman wearing a similar white lab coat.

"If it isn't Samuel Oak," she said as she walked up to the professor. The two indulged in a hug, solidifying her professor position.

"It's good to see you again, Aurea. Glad you could make it."

"Not often I get to visit Sinnoh, you know. Even if I were to make every trip for these little get-togethers, the League tends to arrange them in Kanto most of the time."

"If I had a say in it, Aurea, I'd arrange to have us all out there in Unova, instead. The League is becoming rather stingy, of late."

"Rumor has it this Team Rocket has something to do with it all. I heard they were driven underground, though." These two seemed to be in their own little world.

"Speaking of which, I'd like you to meet someone," Professor said, walking over to me. I instantly straightened up, hoping to make a good impression on the lady professor.

"Let me guess, this is the famous Star?" She already knew my name?

"Yes, ma'am," I said.

"I've told Aurea here all about you, Star. You're quite the topic amongst us professors." At Oak's behest, I shook the professor's hand.

"Aurea Juniper. I specialize in the origins of Pokemon."

"I'm Star- I mean, well... you already knew my name..." Professor Juniper giggled at me.

"It's okay, sweetie. Don't have to be nervous around me. Professor Oak told me you were pivotal in the defeat of Team Rocket a few months ago."

"Well, I didn't do much," I said, feeling unworthy of the praise. "It was mostly Lance."

"Professor Juniper! Didn't think I'd see you until tomorrow!" Professor Birch joined in on the conversation, effectively steering it away from me.

"It's good to see you, too. How's your wife and son?" Juniper gave him a hug.

"Just great. Brandon wanted to come along, but unfortunately he couldn't make it this time. Least we brought a seasoned trainer this time, right Star?"

"No need to put the spotlight on her, anymore," intervened Professor Juniper. "I think she's had enough praise for one day, right?"

"Y-Yeah, I guess?" It felt a bit strange coming from all these highly respected professors.

"Well, let's head down to Rowan's lab for a little celebration of sorts! Star, here's your room key," Birch said as he tossed me the key. "Settle in, and we'll be back in a few hours."

"Okay, I'll see you later."

The professors all departed, leaving me alone in the lobby of the inn. I sighed, the anxiety of all finally dissipating. I've been put on the spot before, but for some reason it just felt like too much this time. I blamed that on Professor Juniper, which took me by surprise. Not in a bad way, just a pleasant one. Once I was in my room, I finally let Vulpix go as I crashed on my bed. I wasn't tired, per se, but a nice nap would do me well. Before long, I was passed out.

~o~

Dinner was rather uneventful, even with four professors sitting at the same table. The still mysterious Professor Rowan couldn't join us, but that didn't stop the others from going all out at the table. While I expected some kind of intellectual discussion during dinner, I didn't expect it to become a lecture on Pokemon science. Normally, these kinds of conversations would interest me, since I was an avid learner and all, but that evening I was just not interested in any of it.

Once I was done eating, I excused myself from the table, which raised no objections and only a couple farewells as the discussion continued. Back in my own room, I got to stare at the wall or Vulpix for a couple hours until sleep finally kicked in. For an inn with such a fun feel to it, it sure was a boring experience in my time as a trainer. And the next morning, I'd get to have all sorts of fun listening to the same topics with yet another professor thrown into the mix!

So the next morning, rude though it might've been, I told Professor Oak that I wouldn't be joining them during the conference.

"Really? Did our debate last night prove too much?" He asked, joking around.

"Actually, it did. I just want to get out there and start exploring, not sit and be cooped up again. I had plenty of that while I was at the Battle Frontier, on the three ships I took to get here, and now here? I miss exploring!"

"Well, don't let me stop you, Star. You're free to go whenever you want. I'll let the other professors know." That went surprisingly well. Then again, it's not like I was being held there against my will.

"Thanks, Professor. It was fun hanging out with you and the others this entire trip."

"Indeed. Be careful on your trip!"

~o~

So, free again on the road, I marched ever westward from Sandgem Town. It wouldn't strike me until much later that I was walking towards a dead end. But that didn't matter! I was on the road, and meeting strange and unusual new Pokemon!

"Starly, the Starling Pokemon. They flock in great numbers. Though small, they flap their wings with great power." The Pokedex spoke out.

"Well, it's definitely a Pokemon I've never seen before," I mentioned to myself. "But it certainly isn't very interesting to look at."

The small flock of Starly were happily resting on the ground, trying to dig up something to eat. I wanted to capture a Pokemon from this region, but I wasn't liking the idea of getting a plain bird critter. I wanted something stranger, rarer perhaps. And as if to answer my silent plea, a new kind of Pokemon showed up. This one caught the attention of the flock of Starly, which instantly took to the air to chase after it. There was only one kind of Pokemon that would have a bulls-eye painted right on it like that for birds. And I didn't want another bug type.

And though I was about to continue on my way, the flock flew over me, and I was even brushed aside by the bug Pokemon in question. That was the nudge I needed to save him from a rather terrible fate. There were no less than a dozen Starly chasing after the bug, so I'd need a bit of help. I released Vaporeon to help Vulpix out. As the flock turned towards my general direction again, I pointed them out to my critters.

"Vulpix, Ember!"

Using Vaporeon for a quick lift, Vulpix leapt into the air spinning around several times to rain down those tiny flames on the flock of Starly. My intention wasn't to harm them severely, though, so I quickled followed up with Vaporeon.

"Vaporeon, use Water Gun!"

Vaporeon released a wide spray of water all over the birds, undoing most of the damage the Ember attack inflicted. Still, the flock was sufficiently scared, and turned tail on us. Now only one thing remained: catching that elusive bug. I remained perfectly still, looking out over the tall grass to try and spot him.

"Vulpix, Quick Attack on my mark," I whispered. My eyes began to hurt a little as I forced them to stay open without blinking. That bug was staying perfectly still, but then a small ping gave him away. I wasn't sure how he could make such a sound, but I was sure it was him. The grass started shaking off to my left, so I pointed in that direction.

"Now!" I screamed, causing Vulpix to vanish into the grass. I quickly dug through my bag for a Pokeball, and prepared to throw it into the grass. The grass in that direction shook violently for a second, then I heard Vulpix bark in the distance. I ran into the grass, with Vaporeon following closely.

The bug was down, but not hurt. Vulpix had managed to trap it underneath herself, making it an easy catch. I leaned in close to the little red bug, who looked terrified. That expression brought back memories of my first days as a trainer. I put the Pokeball in my hand away, and took out my Pokedex instead.

"Vulpix, let him go," I said. Without thinking twice, she obeyed my order, and let the Pokemon scurry away. I managed to scan it just as it disappeared again into the grass.

"Kricketot, the Cricket Pokemon. It shakes its head back to front, causing its antennae to hit each other and sound like a xylophone."

"Well, at least we saved its life," I said, putting the Pokedex away. I put Vaporeon back in his Pokeball, and stretched out a bit before moving on. I admit, I was a bit sad not to have captured that Kricketot. However, I still stood by what I thought earlier. Another bug type just wasn't for me.

~o~

"Huh. Well, that's nice." Those were my words as I stood at the edge of a serene lake.

Route 201 ended at a lake, with a sign nearby that read 'Verity'. Had I known Route 201 led to a dead end, I'd have made for Jubilife City, instead. More importantly, I needed a map for this region to get around. Only made it worse that the Pokenav didn't seem to be working anymore in this region. Still, the view was nice.

"Guess we're going back to Sandgem Town," I told Vulpix. She didn't exactly care for the idea, and expressed her displeasure by plopping right down on the ground next to me.

"Please don't start. I don't like it anymore than you, but I don't want to camp out here for the night, either. We still have that room back in Sandgem Town." My arguments fell on deaf ears, sadly. Sighing, I figured I'd give her a chance to rest and cool off down by the water. As you'd expect, it wasn't going to be THAT simple of a time.

As I approached the water, I noticed a boat coming around the small island in the center of the lake. I squinted to make out who was in it, when I saw an all-too-familiar outfit. A Team Rocket outfit. Instinct took over, and I ran back to pick up Vulpix, ducking into some bushes by the road. If I was lucky, the grunts on the boat didn't see me. Peeking out through the bushes, I saw when they pulled up on the shore. Their outfits had undergone a revision or two, but it was still clearly Team Rocket.

"Contact Giovanni," ordered one of the grunts, "tell him we have Mesprit, and we're on our way to the rendezvous point."

"Yes sir!" Replied the grunt. As he dialed someone on a device that looked very similar to the Pokenav, the lead grunt took a black Pokeball out of his pocket. For a second, I thought it was another Master Ball, but it had an overall different design, along with what looked like a golden stamp.

"Sir, Giovanni says to report to the base of Mt Coronet as soon as possible. The other teams haven't reported in, yet." Came the voice of the grunt on the phone.

"Very well. We leave immediately."

The grunts abandoned their boat, jumping into a car that was parked a short ways off to the side of the lake. Stopping them here would've been a great way to slow down their plans, but the last thing I wanted was to be jumped by more members hiding out nearby. In all my dealings with Team Rocket, they rarely moved in groups of just three members.

The car drove past where I was hiding, heading back in the direction of Sandgem Town. Even if I had a bike to try and keep up, they'd be long gone by the time I arrived in town. I had no choice but to run as fast as I could back. The professors had to be warned about this, as did the Pokemon League here in Sinnoh. Whatever Giovanni was up to would no doubt be disastrous for not only Sinnoh, but the rest of the world.

~o~

I arrived back at Sandgem Town late that afternoon. Try as I might to keep up a fast pace the entire way back, I just had to slow down or stop altogether to catch my breath and recover. Even Vulpix was having trouble keeping up, and carrying her made me even more tired. Add to that the cold air freezing me from the inside out... I could only hope all that running wouldn't stick a nasty cold on me. I couldn't afford it now.

I stormed into Professor Rowan's lab, noticeably interrupting a lecture by the local scientist. My return brought a bit of shock from the others, but I had no time to indulge them in the details of my entry. Right away I got to explaining the situation. I had to ask Professor Oak several times to please remain silent while I finished explaining. Once I was done, the other professors began to whisper amongst themselves.

"Oak, I'm certain we can trust the word of this young lady?" Said Professor Rowan, with whom I still hadn't been properly introduced.

"Yes, certainly. Star has been involved numerous times with Team Rocket. Still, I can't believe they have operations underway here in Sinnoh."

"Can't we do something?" I pleaded, not wanting to waste any more time. "If we alert the police, can't they do something to stop them in Jubilife City?"

"I'll contact the police in both Jubilife and Oreburgh immediately," said Rowan, heading for one of the phones on his desk. "Oak, call the League. See if they can send anyone to Coronet to intercept them."

"Acutally, I'll leave that in someone else's hands. I have to contact Lance back in Kanto. Team Rocket activity might be on the rise back there, and we can't let them overwhelm us on two fronts. Star, your Pokenav, please."

"Um, it doesn't seem to be working here," I told Oak with a sad face.

"Blast! Birch, get on the phone with the Sinnoh League," commanded Oak. "It's far more important to stop them here as quickly as possible!"

The lab erupted into a small bit of chaos. The professors not on the phone instantly got to work cleaning up the presentation, leaving me to stand alone and useless around them. My job here was done, so I took Vulpix and made for the exit. Professor Oak noticed me leaving, and ran after me.

"Star, where are you going?"

"After Team Rocket! If I leave now, maybe I can catch up to them!"

"Far too dangerous, Star. If they truly managed to capture the Pokemon from Lake Verity, and use it against you in battle, you'd be defeated instantly. Those Pokemon are some of the strongest known to us, far more powerful than anything you've encountered before."

"I'm sorry, Professor," I said, still bent on leaving, "but I can't just sit here and do nothing! If Giovanni is behind all this, it'll be just like in the dream Cresselia showed me!"

Oak was about to say something, but stopped himself. He no doubt knew, with the mention of the dream, that anything he said wouldn't convince me otherwise. I had faced Giovanni before, not to mentioned survived encounters with Pokemon powerful enough to shatter continents and control time itself. I was going, by his approval or not.

"Take this," he said, digging into his pockets. Out came a small lump of cash, and once it was in my hands, I saw more money than I had ever seen before. "There should be enough there to buy yourself a bike in Jubilife City. That should help you keep up with them."

"Thank you, sir," I said, stuffing the money into my bag. "When you call Lance, tell him not to worry: I'm on the job!"

Oak nodded, and let me be on my way. It was growing late, and the smart thing to do would've been to stay in Sandgem Town until the next morning. But I couldn't waste any time. If I could double time it to Jubilife, I could be well on my way to Oreburgh City by next morning. As I moved into Route 202, I couldn't help but feel this was all leading up to a climax in my journey.


	78. The Chaos Spreads

The Chaos Spreads, Chapter 78

The sign for the condominiums stared back at me. Not too long ago, the possibility of staying there until that dark cloud appeared was my short term goal. Now, I was rushing to see it stopped entirely. All of this wasn't news to me, but I felt it sink in deep as I stood in front of the sign. Giovanni had tried several plans to take power, each of them foiled in some way; I just happened to be nearby for each of them. This time, however, I'd take the fight right to him.

"Come on, girl," I told Vulpix, now that we'd recovered our strength a bit. "Let's hurry to the Pokemon Center."

And what a surprised awaited me inside the center. I turned in my Pokemon for a quick refresher, and took notice of someone sitting in the lobby. Her hair hair tied up to almost resemble rabbit ears, still clad in the simplistic white gown. After handing over my Pokemon to the local nurse, I ran over to make sure.

"Jasmine? Is that you?" The girl put down her book, and I confirmed her identity.

"Why, hello Star! I never thought I'd run into you out here."

"I could say the same! I stopped by the gym in Olivine City, but they told me you went away for a while." I took a seat next to her. She seemed a lot more open now, considering how quiet and reserved she was back when we first met.

"Lance let me take some time off, and closed the gym. I honestly didn't mind continuing my duties there, but a vacation couldn't hurt. How about you? What brings you up here to Sinnoh?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," I replied. Naturally this sparked her interest, so I ended up giving her the short version. More importantly, once she had taken it all in, she seemed determined to help out in any way she could.

"As a gym leader, I can't just sit around and do nothing," she said, with a fierceness in her voice almost out of character.

"If you want, you can come with me! I'm on my way to Mt Coronet, so we can team up against Team Rocket!"

"Right, we'll leave as soon as your Pokemon are healed up!" I was beginning to feel confused.

"Are you the same Jasmine I met before? You seem so different, now," I told her. After that, it looked like her her awkwardness kicked into gear, and she sat back down. That was more of the Jasmine I knew.

"Sorry, I can get a bit carried away," she replied in a whisper.

"It's okay. We'll leave tomorrow, first thing in the morning. Truth is, I'm tired, and I could sure use a good, long rest." Though a couch wasn't exactly the sort of bed I was looking forward to. Fortunately, Jasmine had me covered.

"I have a room in the Jubilife Condominiums," she added. "There's a spare bedroom, if you'd like. I rented out the place for a month while I traveled here."

"You know something? I was actually looking forward to getting a place there, myself." I said with a smile. It was as if everything went my way, in the end.

~o~

The next morning, we got up a while before sunrise. In order to make good time, we'd eat out instead of in, and take off from there. Before that, I also told Jasmine about stopping by the local bike shop, to make use of Professor Oak's gift. Not to mention that bike would come in handy soon enough. So after we finished breakfast, Jasmine led the way to the shop, being familiar with all of Jubilife after having lived in the city for a few days.

"Why were you in the Pokemon Center last night?" I asked her along the way.

"I visit there almost every night," she replied with a cheerful smile. "Gets a bit lonely in the condo on my own. I usually hung out with Amphy at the lighthouse back home, since I didn't have many friends."

"How is Amphy doing? I didn't get a chance to pay him a visit when I was in Olivine a couple weeks ago."

"I haven't seen him in a few weeks myself, but I'm sure he's doing just fine. Here we are!"

The bike shop was simple in appearance. Come to think of it, it was almost identical to the one in Vermillion City! Of course the odds of running into that same guy from all that time ago was were low, so I went in without a second thought. The store clerk was excited to see a pair of customers, as was typical.

"Welcome to the Jubilife Cycle Shop! Can I help you two young ladies with anything?"

"I'd like to buy a bike, please. Anything you have that's cheap and fast!" Wasn't exactly the most graceful way of going about it, but we needed to be on our way. The clerk got right to work with his presentations of various models.

"Well, this here is our latest model: the Acro Bike! It's got various speed settings, allowing you to-"

"Listen, I'm sorry," I said, cutting him off, "but I really need to get going. Do you have anything like a folding bike?"

"Oh, you want one of those, eh?" His enthusiasm seemed to go out the window. Slowly, he dragged his feet to a corner of the store, where there were various colors to choose from. A yellow one that looked identical to mine was amongst them.

"These are our best sellers," he said sadly. "For as low as ¥9999, you can own of these revolutionary bikes."

"I'll take the yellow one! Jasmine?"

"The red one, please." The clerk sighed, releasing the two bikes from their lock and chain in the corner. I didn't seem to understand why he was so down about two sales this early in the morning.

"Excuse me, but why didn't you want to sell these?" I asked, curiosity too great to let it pass.

"Ever since that model hit the market, no one buys anything but those. The store gets business with them, sure, but they don't help us out. Heard some guy in Viridian City or something like that in Kanto invented them."

"Vermillion City," I corrected him, remembering the salesperson from that time.

"Yeah, whatever. Now he's filthy rich after only a few months because every trainer wants one, and they're amazingly cheap compared to other models. I don't know how that guy did it." I had something of a clue, to be sure.

We each paid for our own bikes, Oak's money just barely covering the expense. Once that was over, we left the shop and prepared to move on to Oreburgh City. That's when we heard and saw several police cars rushing towards the center of the city.

"What's going on?" I wondered aloud.

"They're heading to the Jubilife TV station," Jasmine said with a look of worry on her face.

"We should get going," I said, mounting my bike. Just then, another couple police cars zoomed towards the scene, which I admit was tempting me to chase after them to see what was going on.

"Star, shouldn't we go see what's happening? What if Team Rocket is involved in some way?" I sighed, almost laughing at Jasmine's suggestion. She was just the push I needed to answer the call to arms.

"Let's go. They might try something like they did back in Saffron City a few months ago."

~o~

Sure enough, there was a huge crowd gathered around the TV station, along with all those police cars barricading the entrance. People in the crowd were spreading rumors of what was going on inside the station, but the most prevalent one was of Team Rocket taking over the station. Of course, the crowd didn't have to wait too long before the gigantic TV on the front of the building switched on. On it was a man in the typical Team Rocket uniform, ready to deliver a message to everyone.

"People of Jubilife City," he started, his voice echoing throughout the plaza, "let this be a warning to anyone who tries to enter the building to rescue our hostages! If you try anything, they will be killed!"

The crowd erupted into a frenzy, fearful of the grunt's threat. If the police in the area didn't calm them down, things would only get worse from here.

"Our demands are simple: We want ¥10,000,000 delivered to us before the end of the day, or things get ugly! This money will allow our leader Giovanni to finally return from his hiding, and retake control of Team Rocket. Then, the world!" The grunt's cackle was the last thing to be sent out over the screen before it went black.

"This isn't good," I said.

"Do you think the police will do something to help those people? Actually, do you think Team Rocket will really hurt them?"

"I've seen Giovanni himself do some really nasty things," I told Jasmine, "but his grunts? Something's wrong here. The grunts at the lake knew Giovanni was back, they were even working under direct orders..."

"It's a distraction," Jasmine added.

"So maybe they're bluffing about killing anyone?"

"Maybe, but the police probably won't do anything until they're given the all clear. But why would Team Rocket want money if they're on their way to Mt Coronet for another reason?"

"Another distraction," I added. "They just want the police focused on them here, while Giovanni prepares at Mt Coronet."

"Then it's safe to say they have people making these kinds of stunts in other cities around Sinnoh, maybe even Kanto and Johto." I was starting to see where Jasmine was going with this.

"Should we try to help here? Or head for Mt Coronet? There's not much we can do here, then. Right?"

"I'm sorry, Star, but I can't just leave. I'll see what I can do to help the police here, since I am a gym leader, maybe I can do something. You should go on without me to Mt Coronet."

"What? If you're staying, I'll stay and help too!"

"Don't worry about me, Star. Or those hostages. I'll make sure they make it out safely, trust me. You need to hurry and stop Giovanni." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. What could Jasmine possibly hope to accomplish other than...

"You're going to make yourself a hostage, aren't you?"

"Yes. If they release the others, I'll let myself be taken. My being a captive will garner the attention of the League, and they'll mobilize quicker. Trust me, Star; I know what I'm doing."

Jasmine's eyes showed a fierce determination I hadn't seen in some time. In my travels of late, I've always moved forward with nothing but lofty goals in front of me. Her resolve in this matter was like a beacon in the darkness, and I knew what I had to do. I got back on my bike, ready to depart for Oreburgh City.

"Be careful, Jasmine. Okay?" She gave me a warm smile.

"I'll be fine. You're the one who should be careful! Don't underestimate Giovanni; you don't know what he's capable of."

"I think I have some idea," I said, remembering only some of the tragedies he was responsible for.

"Well, go on! I'll have the police send a message to the League before I go in. Hurry!"

Nodding, I sped off on my bike, Vulpix still in the front basket. To think, I came all this way to run into Jasmine again, only to have her throw herself into this mess. As I felt my mind start blaming myself for all this, I mentally slapped myself.

"I didn't cause any of this. It was Giovanni. And even if I hadn't met up with Jasmine, I'm sure she would've done the same thing." Vulpix barked, agreeing with my vocal thoughts. I gave her a smile, and sped up even more. If I could make it to Oreburgh City before the end of the day, I'd be that much closer to Mt Coronet.

~o~

"Stop right there, kid!" A pair of Team Rocket grunts stood near the entrance to Oreburgh City, patrolling to make sure so one interfered at this point. I knew that whatever Giovanni was up to, he was getting close to completion. I had to get past these grunts.

"I'm just trying to get to Oreburgh City," I pleaded, hoping if I played the innocence card they'd let me pass.

"Sorry, but this road is off limits until further notice. Turn around and go back the way you came." The grunt took hold of one of the Pokeballs on his belt, and I knew they weren't going to budge. I got off my bike, and placed it aside. Vulpix stood in front of me, and the two grunts took it as a sign of hostility.

"Stubborn brat! Now you'll get what's coming to you!" The grunt released his Pokemon, a large purple creature that hovered in the air. The second grunt, whom had remained silent this entire time, released his own Pokemon, one resembling Vaporeon, but a pitch black color; an Umbreon. I took out my Pokedex to scan the flying one quickly.

"Gliscor, the Fang Scorp Pokemon. It observes prey while hanging inverted from branches. When the chance presents itself, it swoops!"

"Gliscor, use Thunder Fang!"

"Umbreon, Faint Attack!" Right off the bat they were out to finish me. I needed some backup for Vulpix.

"Vulpix, hold them off with Flamethrower!"

As Vulpix held her ground and kept the aerial Pokemon at bay, I released Vaporeon to back her up. Umbreon reappeared, knocking Vulpix back, but leaving himself open to a counterattack from Vaporeon.

"Aurora Beam, Vaporeon!"

The distance was sufficiently close, making it an instant attack that sent the much weaker Umbreon flying back. As it tried to get up, he was returned by the owner, looking to replace him for the fight.

"Gliscor, Thunder Fang!"

The purple Pokemon swooped in from up on high, latching onto Vaporeon and delivering a jolt of powerful electricity directly through the fangs.

"Vulpix, jump on top of Gliscor and blast him with Flamethrower!"

Recovering quickly, Vulpix used me as footing to fly across the field onto Gliscor's back, just as the Pokemon took off into the air again. Vulpix gripped onto the aerial Pokemon with her claws, and breathed down hard on Gliscor's back. The Pokemon wasn't able to stay in the air for long, as the flames scorched his back.

"Houndoom, Crunch!"

Having almost forgotten the other grunt, I looked to his newly released Pokemon, a large doglike critter ready to attack Vulpix once Gliscor crashed into the ground. I had to act quickly.

"Vaporeon, Water Gun!"

Vaporeon had taken quite a bit of damage, so he was having trouble getting up to follow my order. Vulpix knew Houndoom awaited her on the ground, so she prepared to fight off the larger Pokemon as best she could. And try as Vaporeon might, he couldn't seem to get up to keep fighting. I had to switch tactics.

"Vaporeon, try and recover your strength! Vulpix, Will-O-Wisp!"

Gliscor finally crashed into the ground, and instantly Houndoom leapt towards Vulpix. Prepared, Vulpix released the purple flames, covering Houndoom all over in burns and scorch marks. That did little to impede the Pokemon, though, and he clamped down hard on Vulpix's body. I watched in horror as she yelped in pain as Houndoom's jaws sank deep into her body. Vaporeon also took notice, and worked up newfound strength to help out his comrade.

His entire body flashing momentarily, Vaporeon unleashed a deluge upon Houndoom, sending the Pokemon slamming against a tree and pinning him there. The force of Vaporeon's Pokemon Power, the Hydro Pump, even caused the tree itself to snap in two, crushing Houndoom underneath the fallen tree. Both of the grunts were left shocked at this display of power, but hesitantly reached for new Pokemon to continue the battle. With Vulpix badly injured, perhaps even in grave danger, and Vaporeon now collapsed from exhaustion, they thought they had me beat.

I released two new Pokemon, Milotic and Haunter, just before they released their own critters. Upon seeing their injured friends, both Pokemon slowly approached the grunts, the look of fear now clearly displayed on their faces. Instead of continuing the battle, the grunts called back their Pokemon, and took off in the direction of the forest, away from Oreburgh City. My act of intimidation had worked, so I called back Milotic and Vaporeon, but left Haunter out for surveillance. I scooped up Vulpix, and had to calm myself down immediately afterward.

There was a red substance all over my hands and Vulpix, a red substance I knew so very little about. It stuck to my dress, ruining it permanently. Vulpix was having trouble breathing, and I knew there wasn't much time. Oreburgh wasn't far, no more than a few minutes if I ran as fast as I could. Though my bike was just behind me, I couldn't let Vulpix go.

"Haunter, bring my bike here, quick!"

The ghost Pokemon wasted no time in bringing my bike, which he held steady as I climbed aboard with Vulpix in my arms. This was a difficult thing to accomplish, let me tell you, but thanks to his help I climbed aboard and put my feet on the pedals. I didn't even have to explain what I needed him to do beyond that point. I started pedaling, while Haunter held the bike steady. We sped down the road to Oreburgh, the entire time praying that Vulpix held on long enough.

I was so worried about her, that I didn't even notice that evening when the dark cloud appeared over Mt Coronet. Giovanni had succeeded in whatever he was planning.


	79. Panic Sinks In

Panic Sinks In, Chapter 79

I stared out from the Pokemon Center's front window towards Mt Coronet. It wasn't identical to my dream, but it was undoubtedly the thing Cresselia tried to warn me about. I was simply too late in preventing it from happening. What's more, in my haste, Vulpix was the one to pay the price. It had already been a few hours since Nurse Joy rushed her into intensive care. Despite my certifications to follow her in, she prevented me from doing so.

"It's best if you remain out here," she had said to me. "Try to relax and leave everything to me."

She had a point, of course. I was already terribly shaken up by the whole ordeal, and in the operating room I'd only make things harder for Nurse Joy. So I remained in the lobby, Haunter being my only company. Together we stared out towards Mt Coronet, all the while thinking. I was determined to stop Giovanni, but was that really my burden to bare? I was one person, one trainer amidst thousands touched by Team Rocket's activities. I was certainly not the most hurt by their activities, so why was I pushing myself so hard to stop him?

Needless to say, this line of thinking, this trap of self-doubt I was consistently falling into would only serve to hurt me further. Once the idea that I had no business trying to stop Giovanni took root in my mind, Vulpix's suffering was all for naught. It was my poor decision that got her hurt, and put her life in danger. And if the worst came to pass, it would be my fault she died. Just the mere thought of that got me clasping my chest and breathing heavily.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for someone," came a strong, feminine voice from the entrance of the Pokemon Center. Torn away from my crippling thoughts, I looked to the person, a blonde woman dressed completely in black.

"Nurse Joy is in the emergency room," I quivered, trying to compose myself.

"Actually, I'm looking for a girl named Star Light. You wouldn't happen to be her, would you?" She was looking for me? Who could she be? And how did she know my full name?

"Who are you?" I asked.

"My name is Cynthia," she said, walking up close, "I'm the Champion of Sinnoh."

"You're...? The Champion? Like Lance?"

"Then you must be Star. I spoke with Lance earlier about what Team Rocket was up to here in Sinnoh. He told me to find you, that you could prove helpful in the fight against Giovanni." I couldn't help but laugh a bit at that suggestion.

"He said that, huh?" I took a seat on the couch nearby, my motivation now completely sapped.

"Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, my Pokemon is in there," I said, pointing to the emergency room.

"I'm sorry to hear that. But I'm certain Nurse Joy will have him or her patched up and ready to go before long. In the meantime, we need to discuss some strategies on how to face Giovanni." She didn't seem to be catching onto what I was implying.

"I'm not going to help." My reply was dull, almost lifeless. This Cynthia did't know me, so she was at a loss for words.

"Lance assured me you'd do all in your power to stop Giovanni. That he went so far as to recommend I seek you out-"

"Thank you," I cut in with a louder voice. "But I can't help you."

A tense silence filled the room. Cynthia got the message this time, and turned around to leave the center. The whole time, Haunter remained equally silent and still, more shocked at my behavior than even Cynthia. Just as she was about to leave, she turned around to face me one last time.

"I'm sorry to have disturbed you. Good-bye." With that, Cynthia left the center. Some time after the automatic doors closed, I felt a tear stream down my cheek.

It would be the first of many tears to follow.

~o~

The next morning, the streets of Oreburgh City were rife with panicked citizens. The swirling cloud above Mt Coronet was now in full view, and the presence of Team Rocket grunts all around the city only made things worse. Many people feared this to be the end of life as they knew it. Yet, all of this meant next to nothing to me. All that mattered was Vulpix's condition, which remained a mystery the entire night.

I ended up falling asleep sometime after midnight, unable to keep my eyes open anymore. When I woke up, the light above the emergency room was still on. And the longer it took for Nurse Joy to emerge, the more panicked I started to feel. Were Vulpix's wounds really that severe?

A couple hours later, the light finally went off, and the doors swung open to reveal Nurse Joy. Instantly I ran up to her, expecting to see Vulpix somewhere nearby.

"Is she alright, Nurse Joy? Can I see her?" I tried to get a glimpse past her, but there was nothing in the hallway.

"Star, I'm afraid there's not much else we can do for Vulpix." Those words drilled deep into me, and I almost felt my heart stop. This couldn't be happening.

"What do you mean?"

"The wounds were extensive, Star. I tried all night to save her, but it was too much to handle." I could hear my heart beat loudly in my ears. My fingers and hands were trembling.

"Is she...?"

"She's in room two. You should go see her."

Nurse Joy stepped aside, allowing me entry. I ran down the hallway, skipping over the first room. In room two, I saw Vulpix lying down on the stretcher, covered in bandages. Nearby, there were piles of other bandages, all stained red. The ones on her body were slowly being stained red as I approached. Vulpix was barely conscious when I stood before her.

"Vulpix? Are you okay, girl?" I asked softly. The small fox looked up at me, hardly able to move without injuring herself further. I held her steady, and leaned in closer.

"It's okay, you'll be fine soon enough," I whispered to her, the tears in my eyes welling up. "Nurse Joy is doing everything she can."

Vulpix breathed in slowly, and I couldn't help but feel it was one of her last breaths. This couldn't be happening. She made one final effort, and gave me a lick on the cheek. After that, her body went limp. She didn't breathe again.

"Vulpix? Come on, wake up, girl," I pleaded pitifully. My Pokemon didn't move; she didn't hear me anymore. I felt someone standing behind me.

"Star, you should come with me," I heard Nurse Joy say softly. But I ignored her; I couldn't leave Vulpix behind.

"Vulpix needs me," I said to her, "she's just tired, is all."

The tears didn't stop streaming from my eyes. I knew that was a lie; I knew very well what was Vulpix's fate. I knew it even as Nurse Joy and her Chanseys dragged me away from the room, almost kicking and screaming. Yet, I could do nothing to stop myself. My best friend was gone.

And it was all my fault.

~o~

I wandered out into the streets a short while later. Haunter remained close, blending into the scenery as to not cause further panic. Not that it mattered to me anymore; I was a failure as a Pokemon Trainer. I didn't deserve to have any other Pokemon in my possession.

After a while, I just collapsed on the ground somewhere. I just sat there, in the middle of the road, crying my eyes out. I was beyond distraught, and well beyond any drive to do anything other than sit there and weep. That is, until a figure stood over me.

"Got ourselves a crybaby here," it said, the voice gruff and strangely familiar. I didn't look up at him, and just kept crying to myself. A second figure joined him a moment later.

"What's wrong, kid? Scraped your knee or something?" This voice was also familiar, and noticeably softer in tone.

"I told you to stop all that sissy talk! You're a member of Team Rocket, for crying out loud!" The more these two talked, the stronger the memories became.

"Sorry, boss. But I just can't talk down to a kid like that. Feels wrong, especially when she's already crying her eyes out."

"This is why you don't take notice of the kid, and more of the belt of Pokeballs around her waist. Go on, take it."

Though I was devastated by Vulpix's departure, and for a moment I was actually intent on not interfering with the grunts, I came to a stunning realization. I looked up at the two grunts, recognizing them through my tear-filled eyes. They were the same grunts that saved me in Johto from drowning. When our eyes met, the nice grunt instantly recognized me, and pulled away.

"I knew you didn't have it in you. Watch how it's done," said the other, reaching in for the steal. At that moment, I was filled with a newfound energy. A newfound rage.

"Leave me ALONE!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, knocking the grunt back on his butt. My scream caused Haunter to reappear behind me, ready to defend me from these grunts.

"K-Kid, hand over the Pokemon, or else-"

"Or else what?" I spat back in the grunt's face. All that sorrow was quickly converting into rage, and the tears had come to a full stop. "Because of you, Vulpix is dead! And now you want my other Pokemon? I won't let you have them!"

The fear was now showing on the grunt's face as he tried to scurry away from me. The nice grunt, meanwhile, raised his hands in surrender. Ignoring him, I focused my attention on the other one trying to escape. He was reaching for a Pokeball, so I decided to put a stop to that.

"Haunter, Lick!"

Heeding my order, the ghost Pokemon swooped in on the grunt, swiping at him with his large tongue. Just like a Pokemon, the grunt was left paralyzed and helpless. I slowly walked up to him, and took away his Pokeball belt. I dangled it in front of his face for a bit.

"Now you know what it's like for the trainers," I said. The grunt could do nothing but stare at me in his paralyzed state.

"Star! What's going on here?" This new voice came from Cynthia, who was still in the city, surprisingly. I handed her the belt.

"Just helping to clean up this mess," I said, before turning my sights to Mt Coronet. This wasn't about stopping Giovanni anymore. It was about something much darker.

"Let me call the authorities, then we can press on to Mt Coronet." She said, reaching for her Poketch.

"I'll go on ahead," I said, leaving her behind with the two grunts. "I'll meet you there."

Ignoring most of the other people running around in the streets, I walked out of the city and towards the base of Mt Coronet. With Haunter at my side, and the others of my team at the ready, I was going to have my revenge. This was all for Vulpix, I kept repeating to myself.

This was all for her.

~o~

Guarding the base entrace of Mt Coronet were several grunts. My distress and rage aside, I knew it would be suicide to force my way through, so I remained hidden behind some bushes nearby. I had to either get past the grunts undetected, or knock them all out with a single strike. I knew very well using Pokemon against humans was illegal, but I couldn't afford to waste anymore time battling each of these grunts one by one. Fortunately, I had Haunter here to help me out, as well as the perfect bait for these grunts.

I released Clefable from her Pokeball. I whispered my plan into her ear, and then let her jump into the open to draw their attention. As expected, the grunts jumped at the prospect of capturing Clefable, and instantly gave chase to my Pokemon as she led them away from the cavern entrance.

"Haunter, help Clefable escape. Do whatever you have to to stop those grunts." I instructed, keeping my voice firm. The ghost Pokemon nodded, and vanished into thin air. I released Vaporeon and Yanma, whom had rejoined my roster after the incident with Vulpix, and had them accompany into the cave.

Much to my good fortune, the path leading up to the summit was marked with lanterns left behind by Team Rocket. Vaporeon took point, making sure the caverns ahead were safe, while Yanma covered my rear in case the grunts showed up again. To be honest, I was surprised at how silent the caverns were. I didn't run into a single grunt or Pokemon the entire time, which had me a bit on edge. Whatever that dark cloud over the mountain was, it was scaring away the Pokemon.

A short while later, I popped out in the summit. Unlike the base, which was still silent and tranquil, the summit was caught in a fierce storm. There was no rain, just a violent wind that nearly knocked me off my feet. I put both my Pokemon away, just to be safe, and Clefable as well once she and Haunter joined up with me again. Above, I could hear what sounded like claps of thunder, yet now that I was closer to the black clouds, I realized they weren't really clouds at all. It was more of a black mist, swirling slowly but surely around the peak of Mt Coronet. How Giovanni was able to create this was beyond me. But not for long.

"Well, if it isn't the thorn at my side." His voice, surprisingly clear considering the howling winds, reached my ears. I followed it to the source: the man standing right underneath the mist.

"Giovanni! You're under arrest!" I screamed at him, trying to keep my balance in the strengthening winds.

"Lance sent a child to do his job? The League must be seriously hurting for help these days. How do you intend to stop what I've already started? The gateway is open! Soon, the Pokemon Giratina will enter our dimension! And when that happens..." Giovanni showed me a Master Ball, its purple color glowing in the strange light emitted by the black mist. Just how was this man able to get a hold of so many of those things?

"I won't let you! Haunter, grab that Master Ball!"

My ghost Pokemon reappeared right in front of Giovanni, but before he could swipe the Pokeball from his hands, Giovanni vanished into thin air! Confused, Haunter looked around for the man, but he was no where to be seen. Suddenly, his laughter echoed throughout the summit.

"If you intend to stop me, you'll have to follow me into the Distortion World! Beware, though: there's no turning back if you enter!"

His laughter echoed again throughout the summit. His taunt was successful, to say the least. Without thinking twice, I called for Haunter to hoist me up into the black mist after Giovanni. Even if there truly was no way to return to Sinnoh, I wouldn't let him escape again.

As the black mist transported my body and Haunter somewhere else, only one image remained firm in my mind's eye.

This was all for her.


	80. My Distorted Reality

My Distorted Reality, the Final Chapter

I could hear water flowing. I could hear grass bend to a calm wind. I could also hear a laugh; one I knew all too well. I was face down on the ground, but my location wasn't the summit of Mt Coronet anymore. I looked out from my position, seeing things that were just impossible. Patches of land floating in mid-air, upside down, even. Water continuing to flow regardless of it being up or down, side to side; some of it even flowed upside down before turning upwards and rising into the sky.

The sky. It wasn't blue, but a deep purple, with black clouds. The sky actually made up the better part of this world, as I noticed it continued not only as high up as I could see, but as far down as I could see, as well. Far as I could tell, this Distortion World was truly another world, somehow connected through that mist hovering above Mt Coronet. Still, one question persisted in my mind.

"How did Giovanni create this?" I spoke out loud. A cackle from the man echoed throughout the very world, it seemed.

"I did nothing of the sort," he spoke out to me. I looked all around, trying to spot him amidst the floating islands, but to no avail. "I merely opened a door."

"So this world already existed before you did anything?" I called out to him, hoping to keep him talking.

"Since the beginning of time. I never imagined I'd have to resort to this to accomplish my goals in our world, but your meddling, as well as Lance's have backed me into a corner. So to speak." As Giovanni spoke, my eyes continued to scan each and every island they could, but still I couldn't find any trace of him.

"Why? I mean- why go through all this trouble? You have Team Rocket, don't you?"

"Are you trying to give me advice on how to conquer the very world you hope to protect?" I had to admit, that was sort of where I was headed.

"N-No, I mean, it's just-"

"You're trying to find me." My heart skipped a beat. Could he see me? Still my eyes continued to scan the lands ahead.

"I must admit, you're rather bold and noble for such a small child," he taunted. It didn't matter what he said, so long as he continued to talk. "Why do you do this? What do you hope to earn from putting yourself in such peril?"

"I'm doing this because of you," I said, finding myself taking the bait. "Because of what Team Rocket has made me suffer through."

"Ahh, your Pokemon. The ones stolen from you at the Union Cave, in Johto." My eyes widened. He knew?

"You ordered that?"

"My grunts are instructed to gather as many Pokemon as they can for our efforts. That you were one of the many trainers we have affected is coincidence, and nothing more. My surprise when I put all this information together." Though my ears were wide open, my eyes were more focused on locating him. No matter how many islands I looked at, he was still no where to be seen.

"There's also what you did to Primeape," I said, keeping the conversation going.

"Casualty of battle. Sometimes accidents happen, you know."

"Liar! You used illegal moves in battle!" I screamed back. There was an unusually long silence, which made my heart race. I stopped scanning the islands and rubbed my eyes for a moment. Giovanni said nothing, leaving me to hear the flowing water.

"I'm afraid we'll have to continue this another time. I have a rare Pokemon to catch." My eyes widened, and I spun around. He had found Giratina.

"Giovanni! Where are you?" I screamed into the sky. He didn't answer. There had to be a means to find him, to travel through this world. I reached for Haunter's Pokeball, when I suddenly remembered he had helped me into the Distortion World in the first place. Had he been able to enter with me?

"Haunter? Haunter, are you out there somewhere?" I called out. It took him a moment, but he reappeared in front of me. Relieved, I gave his solid form a pat on the head.

"We need to find Giovanni," I told him. "Help me find a way off this rock."

The ghost Pokemon pointed to an adjacent island, one that was perpendicular to the one I was on. I figured with a bit of his help, I'd be able to climb it to the top, but that island didn't lead anywhere substantial. I walked over to the wall of grass and dirt, touching it with my hand. The grass felt identical to any other grass I ever touched. The question still remained: how was I to climb that wall?

Haunter pointed at it, but still that did nothing to help me solve this riddle. Then, he started floating sideways, as if the wall was underneath him. He motioned for me to follow, which got me thinking. Taking something of a leap of faith, I put one foot on the wall. I held it there for a moment, and took a deep breath. I forced my other foot into the air, and somehow found myself tripping and crashing into the grass. The entire ordeal felt extremely awkward, especially since I didn't even feel myself fall backward away from the wall.

"Wait," I said to myself, remaining perfectly still on the ground. "I didn't fall back; I fell forward."

I picked myself up off the ground, and turned to Haunter. He wasn't floating sideways anymore. Rather, he still was, but from my position, he was upright. I looked behind me, seeing what used to be the ground for me. The flattened grass where I stood for so long as I spoke to Giovanni confirmed it. Just by attempting to walk on the wall, I was able to walk on it.

"Okay, this is weird," I told Haunter. The ghost just shrugged. "Point taken. No sense thinking about it, just use it. Let's go!"

After that first time, it became surprisingly easy to jump from one level plane to the next. I made my way all over those islands, trying my best to find Giovanni, or at the very least some trace of the Pokemon he was after. Even if I had to capture it myself, I couldn't let him succeed.

~o~

"It's been over an hour," I said to myself, "and I haven't seen anything or anyone."

Actually, it had probably been more than an hour. I had been running that entire time, never feeling tired, or hungry. It was as if I had limitless energy, though I couldn't quite explain even THAT. Then again, this entire world allowed me to walk on walls and had land floating in midair. Wasn't exactly that farfetched given a bit more thought.

I stopped running entirely. In all that time, I hadn't heard or seen anything new. There had to be another way to move through this world. Something I wasn't quite grasping just yet. I took a seat on the ground, choosing to use my head this time. Giovanni was no where to be seen, and even though there were hundreds, maybe thousands of floating lands around here, if he or Giratina were in the vicinity, they would be at least audible. There just had to be a secret doorway or something...

And then it happened. As if my very desire for it to appear was the only thing required, a door emerged from no where in front of me. Without giving myself a chance to doubt what was beyond the door, I opened it up and went inside.

It was dark inside, pitch black. Then, lines began to magically draw a rectangular shape on the ground beneath my feet. The rectangle gave form to an arena, and on the other side an opponent I had been looking for. Standing tall and with that evil grin fixed on his face, Giovanni awaited me. His greeting was that cackle of his.

"Didn't think you'd actually find the means to travel in the Distortion World so quickly. What's more, you've seem to have cornered me here."

"So you can't just leave?" I asked him.

"Your desire to catch me has forced us both into the same 'room' here. Until you leave, we're trapped here." Then I did have him just where I wanted him.

"Surrender, Giovanni. Turn yourself into the police in Oreburgh City."

"Weren't you always accompanied by a Vulpix?" Those words pierced my cool shell like a knife through butter. What's worse, he noticed. "I see..."

"Don't make me, Giovanni!" I threatened as best I could. "I don't care if I order my Pokemon to attack you directly!"

"That is what most people call a crime, Star. Would you honestly dirty your hands to catch me?" I clenched my fists at my sides.

"No one would ever believe your word against mine." Giovanni began to laugh uproariously.

"Spoken like a hardened veteran of Team Rocket! I'll grant you this one opportunity, Star: join my side. Your loss can be turned into a victory; together, we can make use of the Distortion World and rule the other world!"

I'd like to tell you that I spat his offer back in his face without a second thought. But that would be a lie. In truth, I went over that offer at least half a dozen times in my mind before I answered him. I could feel myself inching ever closer to his way of thinking, ever since Vulpix died. And worst of all: I was finding it harder to resist thinking that way.

"Well? Have you decided?" His voice didn't seem so bad, now. It even sounded inviting, and before I realized it, I was standing before him. His hand was offered to me, but in my deepest heart I could not bring myself to take it. And yet, I saw with my own eyes as my hand moved to take his. My mind worked to stop my body, but it was moving of its own volition.

"You've made the right choice, Star," said Giovanni as our hands joined in a mutual shake. The shock of this entire ordeal finally reached a critical point. I screamed out from within my own mind at the top of my lungs.

~o~

I was no longer speaking with Giovanni. I was no longer in the Distortion World. For that matter, I wasn't anywhere near the Sinnoh region. Much to my surprise, I was back in my own room! I crawled out of bed, feeling both the bed itself and my walls to see if this was real. Could it all have been a crazy nightmare? Outside my window, the sun was shining brightly, and warm sunlight forced its way through the glass. The calendar on my wall was flipped to June, the month I left on my journey in the first place. Now I knew something strange was going on here.

"Star! Breakfast is ready!" I heard my mom call out from downstairs. My first instinct was to reach for a Pokeball, just in case. Of course, there were none on my waist. I panicked for only a moment, then remembered this was before I left on my journey. There was only one Pokemon in my possession. And she was no where to be seen. Regardless, I ran downstairs.

"Star, why aren't you ready for school? Eat quickly and then get ready!" Mom told me once I was downstairs. Breakfast looked to be the same as usual with her, but I couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong. I took a seat, but went against eating anything.

"Mom, where's Vulpix?"

"Vulpix? What Vulpix?" She replied with a confused look on her face. My fears grew larger.

"My Pokemon! You got her for me last year!"

"I think you were having a wild dream, Star. You don't have any Pokemon. We discussed this yesterday, remember? You have to keep up your studies." It was like a nightmare.

"No," I said, shaking my head, "this is the dream. None of this is real."

"Star? Are you feeling well?" I continued to shake my head, backing away from the woman at the table. She got up from her chair after me.

"Stay away! You're not my mom!" I screamed at her before running upstairs. I heard Mom chase after me, but I locked my door behind me. Instantly she started knocking on the door, demanding to be let in. I backed away from the door, looking for a means to escape. My gaze shot to the window.

"Star, open this door, NOW!"

Ignoring her commands, I ran to my window, and tried to open it. When it wouldn't budge, I looked to the locks, and noticed they were rusted over in the locked position. After trying to force them open, I noticed the nails keeping it closed, as well. This dream was quickly turning into a nightmare.

"Star, open this door!" Mom's voice started to change, sounding more and more like a monster of some kind. The door began to shake violently, as if there was something larger trying to force its way through. Try as I might with the window, it just wouldn't budge. A piece of the door was ripped off, and a dark arm reached through the crack to open the door. All I could do at this point was curl up in a corner, praying I'd wake from this nightmare soon.

The door opened, and a large black apparition stepped into my room. I could hear nothing but my heartbeat resound loudly in my ears. This nightmare wasn't ending, and that thing drew ever closer. Once it was practically in my face, I realized something; something that destroyed this nightmare. I looked into the dark creature's eyes, seeing something I had almost forgotten on my journey. The fear dying down, I stood up and faced the apparition directly.

"You don't scare me, anymore," I said to it. "I know what you are."

As if to deny my claim, the apparition morphed its 'face' into something else, but there was something it could not change anymore. The eyes remained the same; those same sinister eyes that I'd seen once before. A memory I could never forget. With that memory shining brightly in my mind, I felt the entire dream around me start to melt away.

~o~

I was back in the Distortion World now, the floating fragments of land all around me. And hovering before me was the source of that dream: the Pokemon Shuppet. I knew it was the same critter that had attacked me back in Lilycove City, despite clearly remembering Nancy having caught it. This was the cause of everything here, and I had to disperse the ghost. With Haunter back at my side, I prepared myself for battle.

"Haunter, Night Shade!"

Haunter blasted the Shuppet with the dark wave, knocking it into the ground in a single strike. After a moment, the Pokemon did not rise up again, making this battle seem almost anticlimactic. Then, its body started to glow and expand, and I knew it was evolving into something else. I quickly scanned it with my Pokedex before it could recover.

"Banette, the Marionette Pokemon. A doll that became a Pokemon over its grudge from being junked. It seeks the child that disowned it."

"A doll? That's a strange thing to become a Pokemon," I said to myself. I looked over at the Banette, which had thoroughly recovered and was prepared to keep fighting. This would be the final confrontation with this critter.

"Haunter, Lick!"

Haunter swooped in on Banette, tongue first. He just barely missed the target, as Banette threw himself high into the air. He released a Shadow Ball attack on Haunter, which my Pokemon was unable to dodge.

"Haunter, try Hypnosis!"

Recovering quickly, Haunter tried to lull Banette to sleep, but the attack failed to connect when the Pokemon twisted its head backwards. Slightly disturbed, I knew I had to take the offensive instead of my old tactics.

"Haunter, Shadow Punch!"

Wasting no time, my Pokemon propelled his fists forward, but again missed the mark. Banette swooped in on Haunter, delivering another Shadow Ball attack directly in his face. Haunter was forced back towards me, his ghostly body starting to lose cohesion. There was no way I could be losing this badly to Banette!

"Haunter, return," I said, putting my ghost Pokemon back in his Pokeball. The ghost ahead of me giggled, awaiting the next critter on my end. I hesitated, unsure what Pokemon in my roster had the best chance to defeat Banette. It seemed to evade every single attack I threw at it without any difficulty, almost as if it saw them coming ahead of time.

In that instant, it all made sense. I looked to Banette again, who continued to taunt me to release another Pokemon. Instead, I closed my fist, staring the ghost down. It looked at me now with confusion in its eyes, not realizing I had finally seen through its clever ruse. The first mistake it made wasn't in the dream sequence at home. It was actually before that, when I was forced to shake Giovanni's hand. Even in my deepest despair, I'd never resort to that.

I took a step towards Banette, who remained confident in believing it had the upper hand. I stood before the floating Pokemon, remembering what the Pokedex said about its origins.

"A doll that became a Pokemon," I said to it. "Thing is, I never had a doll. But we're not talking about a real doll, huh? The doll is me, before I lost Vulpix in this dream. That's what gave you the power to build the Distortion World here."

The Pokemon merely looked at me, unsure how to proceed at this point. Its ultimate plan was finally laid out to bare.

"I never woke up that night in Lilycove City, huh? You attacked me, stole the memory that meant the most to me, and then threw me into a dream so real, I'd never realize you continued to drain my life. And when you couldn't get anything more out of me, you tried to dig deeper by lowering my guard. You made the mistake of forcing me to shake Giovanni's hand."

Rays of light started to force their way through the dark skies. The elaborate dream Banette had constructed was finally starting to tumble. I need only deliver the final blow to shatter this distorted reality. I looked the Pokemon directly in the eyes.

"None of this is real."

I reached into my bag, and pulled out the feather dropped by Cresselia. Exposed to the Distortion World, it acted as the final blow; the final ray of light. With that, I saw the illsion collapse before my very eyes. The long dream had finally come to an end.

~o~

"Star! Are you alright?" Came a familiar voice through my blurred vision. As my eyes regained their focus, I saw Nancy's face looking down at me.

"Am I back?" I asked.

"You were attacked by that Shuppet, remember? Don't worry, you're back in your room, safe and sound."

Somewhat relieved, I looked beyond Nancy to see the room I had been staying in. I was still wearing my witch costume, while the hat was on the ground nearby. And close to it was Vulpix, whose shot upwards upon hearing my voice. She looked at me, and I could feel the tears streaming from my eyes. The small fox jumped onto the bed, and instinctively licked my face to comfort me.

"Star, what's wrong? Are you hurt?" Nancy asked, reaching for a handkerchief to dry my tears.

"No, I'm all right now," I said to her, hugging Vulpix. "Everything's all right."

~o~

Though it might seem a bit abrupt, that was the end of my Pokemon journey. After having lived through all that time in a perpetual dream, I decided not to see it through again, even if it didn't play out exactly as before. That Shuppet had ruined my birthday party, but it did give me the chance to finally see my true goal in life. After thanking Nancy wholeheartedly for everything she had done, I asked her for only one more thing.

"You want to go home?"

"Yes," I said to her, shortly after having woken up that night. "While I was out of it, I had a dream. And I think it's time I went back home."

"Are you sure, Star? You seemed intent on continuing your journey before." I could've told her everything that happened, but it would've all been pointless. She'd never believe me.

"Trust me, Nancy. It's time I went home."

As a final farewell to me, she paid my passage back to Vermillion City. She had to exchange a ticket to Mossdeep, something else I had 'foreseen' in my dream. It made me wonder, all the way back to Vermillion, what would've happened had I continued as before. But none of that mattered anymore. The entire trip back to Vermillion City, I kept Vulpix close by. The thought of losing her again too much to bear.

The first snow of the year fell on the day I finally arrived back in Pallet Town. It was like a welcome back from the town itself. I walked through all-too-familiar streets, making my way home slowly. Along the way, I decided to stop by the beach again, remembering something. Something that had been stolen from my by Shuppet in the dream. As expected, there he was, sitting by the beach. I walked a bit closer, and heard him mutter something to himself.

"We still are kids," he said, a line I had told him once before.

"Just a little older, and a lot wiser." I finished for him. My voice caught his attention, and he spun around to see me. He walked up close, trying to prove to himself that I was finally standing there before him. Vulpix barked at him, happy to be reunited.

"Is it really you?" He asked, voice quivering just slightly.

"Something I read once," I said to him, recalling a distant memory. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Some love poem thing."

He smiled at me, and I jumped into his arms, giving him a hug I hardly remembered doing in the first place so long ago. After a moment's embrace, he separated us, and looked deeply into my eyes.

"What happened? I didn't think you'd be back so soon."

"A lot of things happened," I replied, my smile concealing a wealth of knowledge I'd never share. "I learned a lot of things, too. Sorry it took me so long to get home."

"No, it's okay," he said to me. "All that matters is you're home."

My heart went aflutter in my chest as Deneb pulled me in close. This was what Shuppet had stolen from me, the memories of the one boy I loved. The only thing that could've shattered its hold over me in that nightmare. I finally remembered.

Our lips locked together in a kiss. Our second kiss, and the one to seal our future together. And all the while, Vulpix barked cheerfully in the distance.

~ The End ~


End file.
